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This study traced the evolution of experiential education in American history museums from 1787 to 2007. Because of a decline in attendance, museum educators need to identify best practices to draw and retain audiences. I used 16 museology and history journals, books, and archives of museums prominent for using the method. I also interviewed 15 museum educators who employ experiential learning, one master interpreter of the National Park Service, and an independent museum exhibit developer. Experiential education involves doing with hands touching physical materials. Four minor questions concerned antecedents of experiential learning, reasons to invest in the method, the influence of social context, and cultural pluralism. Next is a review of the theorists whose works support experiential learning: Dewey, Piaget, Vygotsky, Lewin, Bruner, Eisner, Hein, and David Kolb plus master parks interpreter Freeman Tilden. The 8 characteristics they support include prior experiences, physical action, interaction with the environment, use of the senses, emotion, social relationships, and personal meaning. Other sections are manifestation of experiential learning, transformation of history museums, and cultural pluralism in history museums. The research design is descriptive, and the procedure, document analysis and structured interview. Findings are divided by decades after the first 120 years. Social context, examples of experiential learning, and multicultural activities are detailed. Then findings are discussed by patterns of delivery: sensory experiences, actions as diversion and performance, outreach of traveling trunks and of organized activity, crafts as handwork and as skills, role-playing, simulation, hands-on museum work, and minor patterns. The decline of involvement of citizens in the civic and cultural life of the community has adversely affected history museums. Experiential learning can stop this trend and transform museum work, as open-air museums and the National Park Service have demonstrated. In the future history museums may include technology, a more diverse audience, and adults in its experiential educational plans to thrive. Further research is needed on evaluation, finances, and small museums.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / This thesis investigates why twentieth-century philanthropists, such as Henry Ford, John and Abby Rockefeller, Henry du Pont, and Henry and Helen Flynt, developed American museums between 1925 and 1970. These individuals shared similar beliefs and ideological perspectives of American history, which shaped their museum-building efforts. Additionally, philanthropists had financial resources, social networks, and access to agents. The combination of these elements assisted in the establishment of their institutions. Over two generations, these museum builders established an American museum ideal through the implementation of their philanthropy. Philanthropists’ extensive financial resources, combined with philanthropic and museum-oriented ideas of the time, provided the impetus for the creation of new museums and collections. Furthermore, this work investigates Henry Ford as a case study of the philanthropic system used to establish these institutions. Ford’s agents mediated an exchange of artifacts and resources between Ford and average people, who were willing to give buildings, furnishings, and industrial machinery to the museum. This multi-directional system of philanthropy exemplifies the relationship between Ford as the philanthropist, his agents, and potential donors, to create his museums. Other philanthropists and institutions are referenced to further illustrate the museum building process and the role of philanthropy established at this time.