Uncle Sam Worked Here

FAIN: GM-50515-05

Minnesota Museum of Art/Landmark Center (St. Paul, MN 55101-2205)
Robert M. Frame (Project Director: February 2005 to October 2008)

Interpretation of the Landmark Center, a 1902 building in St. Paul, from the standpoint of the federal government agencies that were housed there and the significant national historical events with which they were involved.

"Uncle Sam Worked Here" combines traditional historic preservation and interpretation methodology with the strategies and techniques of object theater and experience platform to exploit the rich historical and architectural resources of this National Register of Historic Places building. The interpretation offers an understanding of this building as a historical microcosm of American government, from the building's conception during the Gilded Age to its near demise and eventual transformation into a model of historic preservation. During this time, the place, the government, and the American people reflected, expressed and symbolized the changing nature of the American government. With a focus on specific topics, including the New Deal, Anti-Trust, and Prohibition, "Uncle Sam Worked Here" will give visitors a prism through which to gain a unique perspective on their own government and the major events of the nation during the first half of the 20th century.