GREENSBORO, N.C. — The Greensboro History Museum is unveiling a new way to educate their visitors.

What You Need To Know

  • The Greensboro History Museum is curating interactive exhibits that mirror the ones in the museum.

  • The virtual walkthroughs are designed by Larry Poncho Brown, an artist known for his work with civil rights activist, Dick Gregory.

  • The museum will be uploading virtual exhibits over the next few weeks.

The pandemic shut down museums across North Carolina last spring, which drove Rodney Dawson and the Greensboro History Museum to re-evaluate how they reach their visitors.

“I noticed how I could use technology so I could engage the students. With the Internet, we saw that it was kind of limitless,” says curator of education, Rodney Dawson.

They started building virtual exhibits. Each exhibit offers videos and interviews featured in the monitors. The interactive walkthroughs are designed by Larry Poncho Brown, an artist known for his work featured in A Different World, Essence, and Ebony Magazine.

The virtual exhibits provide a free option for virtual field trips. Teachers don’t have to organize buses, lunches, and substitute teachers, but instead send a link to their students to explore the museum’s exhibits online. 

“Guilford County is the most diverse county in North Carolina, but I wanted to make sure that anyone that walks into this museum can see and have a sense of belonging,” he says.

Rodney Dawson is passionate about blending technology with education. His goal is for everyone’s history to be included and represented in the museum. Over the next few weeks, the museum will roll out virtual walkthroughs for all their exhibits.