SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — The Illinois State Museum is hosting an exhibit featuring the often overlooked Generation X from January 28 through September 4.
According to the museum, the exhibition "explores the toys, technologies and cultural touchstones surrounding Gen Xers in their childhood. Museum visitors will see items familiar to anyone who grew up in the 1970s and 1980s, from telephones with cords, record and cassette players, and an Apple IIe computer to Teddy Ruxpin and parachute pants."
Photo from the Illinois State Museum's Growing Up X exhibit.
In addition to displaying familiar items, the exhibit will explore how the generation was affected by growing up in the shadow of the Vietnam War and experiencing the Cold War, the AIDS crisis, and the War on Drugs.
“We’re excited about this exhibition,” said ISM Curator of History Erika Holst. “We hope Gen X feels seen by this show – that they come in and say ‘I had that!’ or ‘I remember that!’ Beyond that, we hope this sparks some great conversations between Gen Xers and their kids and parents about different experiences had by different generations growing up.”
Photo from the Illinois State Museum's Growing Up X exhibit.
An immersive experience will allow museum-goers to spend time in a period-accurate rec room with a floral sofa, VHS tapes, and records. Interactive screens will allow viewers to watch commercials and news broadcasts from the '70s and '80s.
“One of the challenges of doing this show is how to accurately represent the experiences of a group of people that is large, diverse and still very much alive,” Holst said. “So we went right to the source and asked Gen Xers to share their experiences in their own words, images and meaningful objects.”
Growing Up X is on display at the Illinois State Museum in Springfield Jan. 28, 2023, through Sept. 4, 2023. Admission is free. Learn more at www.illinoisstatemuseum.org.
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