| Erika Holst has curated an exhibition at the Illinois State Museum that will speak to anyone who made a mix tape or used a pay phone to call for a ride home from the roller rink as a kid. “Growing Up X” explores the toys, technologies and cultural touchstones surrounding Generation X 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. Additionally, they will learn how growing up in the shadow of the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the AIDS crisis and the War on Drugs shaped Gen Xers as individuals and a generation. For those looking to immerse themselves in the experience of “growing up X,” the exhibition offers an interactive rec room space where visitors can sit on a floral sofa, watch a movie on VHS, play a video game, or listen to a record album or cassette tape. The exhibition also includes a jukebox where visitors can dial up their favorite nostalgic tunes and interactive screens to watch commercials and news broadcasts from the ’70s and ’80s. The exhibit will be displayed January 28-September 4, 2023. Click here for more information about the exhibit. |
