Organizers say Lacey pop-up Black History Museum drew hundreds, added QR tours for broader access

Commissioner Belva Jackson reported on Feb. 24 that the recent Black History pop-up museum organized by New Life Baptist Church and community volunteers attracted more than 600 visitors, including 167 students who attended as part of school field trips, and that organizers added QR-code-linked videos to make exhibits more accessible.

“We still managed to, greet and, welcome more than 600 people to the pop up museum, of which 167 of those were students who came through during the week, as part of educational field trips,” Jackson said during the meeting’s inspirational-item segment. Jackson said the museum drew students for multiple Saturdays, generated monetary donations and prompted sustained community dialogue.

Jackson said the museum team also piloted QR codes on exhibit panels that link to short videos; she said the QR deployment allows visitors to access audio/visual content and preserves exhibits as staff break down displays. “One QR code that would take you to all 11 videotapes,” she told commissioners, noting that the shorter videos range from roughly 30 to 45 seconds.

Commissioners attending the cultural celebration and museum praised the exhibit and said the QR links provided useful supplemental material for visitors who could not view every panel. The commission suggested organizers consider expanding the digital content and using the QR resources for K–12 outreach in future years.

The pop-up event was described as volunteer-driven with community donations; Jackson said organizers were already planning next year’s exhibits and thanked volunteers and supporters.