Electropolis Exhibit Development
Statewide Historic and Cultural Grants. $5,250,000 the first year and $5,250,000 the second year are for history programs and projects operated or conducted by or through local, county, regional, or other historical or cultural organizations; or for activities to preserve significant historic and cultural resources.
In the grant proposal, progress indicators were defined as completion of an updated interpretive plan draft, formative evaluation report, final interpretive plan, and final design plan. Project staff completed these, consistent with the defined timeframes, and made the decision to combine the interpretive and design plans into a unified exhibit plan. The Bakken achieved the intended outcome of this project, updating the Electropolis exhibit plan to include local history content. The successful completion of the project can primarily be attributed to a cooperative working relationship between project staff and contractors, including well-defined roles and a shared understanding of a clear goal. As well, working in a condensed timeframe and limiting the scope for major changes enabled project staff and contractors to prioritize tasks and make decisions as needed. Staff efficiently determined ways to integrate historical content into the Electropolis exhibit plan, tested them with the target audience, and incorporated their feedback.