The auditorium at the Blackstone Memorial Library became transformed into a “living museum” of ancient civilizations, representing months of research and study by students of the Connecticut Experiential Learning Center.

Each interactive project contained a variety of informational items, including a timeline specifying dates of the civilization, listing important events that occurred within that time period; hand-drawn maps of ancient compared to modern geographical locations and place names of the region studied; a research report; and a plethora of visuals, dioramas, models, and more.

Students dressed in costume to portray an invented persona representing the civilization studied, creating an authentic historical fiction account of their persona’s family, occupation, lifestyle etc., and eloquently shared this story as visitors came to see the display.

Visitors asked questions, listened, and learned. From cuneiform to hieroglyphics, from the story of Alexander the Great to the invention of the wheel, the day was a great success. Students, family, and visitors felt that for these two hours, the civilizations of the Sumerians, Persians, Egyptians, Celts, Greeks, and Huns all sprang to life once again!