Race, Space, and Digital Interpretation at Selma's Old Depot Museum

Housed within the distinctive architectural fabric of the former Louisville and Nashville (L&N) Railroad Depot and listed on the Water Avenue Historic District National Register of Historic Places, the Old Depot Museum depicts life in Alabama and the varied histories that made Selma the "Queen City of the Black Belt." Formally known as the Selma and Dallas County Interpretive History Museum and Archives, the museum houses artifacts within its collections that date from the time of prehistoric Native Americans to the Civil War, continuing through the Depression to trace the historic path of the Civil Rights Movement that wound its way through the streets of Selma, culminating in the Bloody Sunday incident of March 7, 1965. The breadth of the museum's collections illustrates how a site that was once home to a Confederate foundry has transformed into an integral local repository for the preservation and interpretation of critical documents, artifacts, and photographs that reflect the history of this community. This field note presents an ongoing project that will bring both the architecture and archives of the Old Depot Museum to life for visitors on-site and remotely. The project's methods include the use of LiDAR, 360-degree photography, photogrammetry, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs and drones) to record the entirety of the museum. The development of a digital 3D model using Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology, in addition to the detailed digitization of selected items within the museum's archives related to the Civil Rights Movement through digital scanning and photography, will not only expand the museum's historical narrative but directly assist in the museum's mission to provide educational opportunities—to children, the general public, and seasoned researchers alike—beyond the municipal borders of Selma.