July 9, 2020 at 5:47 p.m.
Blending old and new: Rhinelander Historical Society unveils new virtual tour, website
Blending old and new: Rhinelander Historical Society unveils new virtual tour, website
By Stephanie Kuski-
The group partnered with Tom Mathis of Northwoods Media to create a new website which features a 360- degree virtual tour of the museum created by Nate Sheppard of Nate Sheppard Media.
The virtual tour allows visitors to electronically peruse the museum and examine various displays, some of which include text for added context.
Rhinelander Historical Society President Bill Vancos said the initial purpose of the virtual tour was to promote the museum. But since the onslaught of COVID-19 forced the museum to close its doors to the public, that virtual tour now serves a dual role by also providing visitors a platform with which to view the archives on display, at least for the time being.
"We had been thinking about this for a couple years," Vancos explained. "The initial idea was an incentive for people to want to physically come to the museum, not in place of coming. However, COVID-19 has adjusted that a bit this year."
Vancos stressed that although in-person tours may need to be put off until next year, the virtual tour is not meant to replace a physical visit to the museum. The in-person tours feature veteran docents who provide additional information to the items on display as well as historical anecdotes about the history of Rhinelander, and that human connection simply cannot be substituted, he explained.
"The idea, hopefully, will be that people will want to come in and get the full tour: the docents explaining and talking about different items and the different artifacts that we have," Vancos said. "There's so much interesting information about so many of those items... Plus there's always the stories that (the docents) are able to share."
"We can't replicate that with the virtual tour," he continued, "but we can hopefully at least come up with a second place idea that will give them the experience of seeing what's at the museum."
The virtual tour is meant to whet the visitor's appetite and entice them to come back when the museum is available again, he added.
In this way, it becomes evident how new technologies have enabled veteran institutions like the Rhinelander Historical Society to continue serving the community despite various virus-related obstacles.
Since the virtual tour is in an online format, it also has the potential to change as the times do, Vancos added.
In considering the longevity of this tool, the virtual tour also digitizes the museum in its current form while allowing room for the tour to change as the museum's needs shift with the current landscape.
"I look at it as a living, breathing document that hopefully can be tweaked once in a while," Vancos commented.
Those who have donated items to the museum can see those artifacts on the virtual tour, he added, citing another benefit of virtually cataloging the archives currently displayed at the museum.
Additionally, this tour also has the potential to be a resource for individuals, near and far, who are researching Rhinelander's history.
Although the museum remains closed to patrons, Rhinelander Historical Society volunteers are still available virtually via their Facebook page and website.
Individuals with questions about items on display, or who would like to know more of the history behind a certain artifact, are encouraged to connect with the museum for answers to those questions.
"We try to be a resource to people and put them in touch or give them an answer or suggest something," Vancos said. "It's something we can still do even in COVID-19 times, and maybe it's even more important this year."
Vancos has also been working diligently to create an index of various books, articles and other information related to Rhinelander history in order to quickly answer questions for interested individuals. He said he finds it rewarding to provide answers to historical questions, especially locals looking for information on their family.
Those interested in viewing the virtual tour can find a link on the group's Facebook page or website, rhinelanderhistoricalsociety.org.
For questions or inquiries, send emails to [email protected] or call (715) 369-3833.
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