Olof Hanson Exhibit

The National Deaf Life Museum’s first exhibition, Olof Hanson, Conspicuous Leader (1862-1933), opened on October 22, 2009, and closed on October 1, 2011.

The exhibit focused on the life of the deaf architect, advocate, and clergyman Olof Hanson. “The purpose of this exhibit is to share the depth and richness of the history of deaf people and their influence on the world,” said Dr. Jane Norman, ’68, director and curator of the Gallaudet University Museum.

The opening of the exhibit in the Weyerhaeuser Family Art Gallery and Exhibition Hall, located in the I. King Jordan Student Academic Center, attracted a large audience of students, staff, faculty, and visitors, all welcomed by Provost Stephen Weiner.

“Great universities have great museums,” said Dr. Weiner, holding up a full-page notice on the importance of museums at institutions of higher learning from a recent issue of The Chronicle of Higher Education. He added, “This is your museum. It belongs to the people of Gallaudet.”

The exhibition curator, Tabitha Jacques, ’06, said the exhibit “explores the context of what life was like for some deaf people during Hanson’s time.” (Source: Gallaudet Today, Winter 2010 issue.)