New Museum Exhibit in Illinois to Recreate the Gen X Experience: From Cassette Tapes to 'Just Say No'
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While Generation X is often overshadowed by millennials and boomers, a new museum exhibit is spotlighting the "Forgotten Generation" and its cultural impact.
In October, the Illinois State Museum will unveil an exhibition titled "Growing Up X" in Springfield.
The museum's website is actively gathering information, images and objects from the general public that is representative of the era, which comprises those born between 1965 and 1980.
The triple-pierced ears. The Swatch watch. The riding boots. Patrice rocked Gen X style, and this photo is proof. We want your Gen X photos! The more 70s-80s-90s-tastic, the better! We’ll display them in our upcoming exhibit Growing Up X. Submit at https://t.co/Af7CXtAWC8. pic.twitter.com/1jHaXMbaBO
— Illinois State Museum (@ILStateMuseum) January 6, 2022
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"We think it's time Gen X got some love," Illinois State Museum Curator of History Erika Holst told USA Today. "We want to dig into the experience of being a child in the '70s, '80s and '90s."
"How did growing up adapting to new technology, often unsupervised, in the shadow of the Cold War, Reaganomics, Just Say No and the AIDS crisis shape this generation of people who are now coming into their own in middle age?" she added.
Earlier this month, the museum tweeted a request for submissions, writing, "The triple-pierced ears. The Swatch watch. The riding boots. Patrice rocked Gen X style, and this photo is proof. We want your Gen X photos! The more 70s-80s-90s-tastic, the better! We'll display them in our upcoming exhibit Growing Up X."
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The online survey on the museum's website asks those interested in submitting for "the 411" on their experiences as part of Gen X, from fashion trends, like scrunchies or crimpers, to their favorite movies, TV shows and books from the time period.
The questionnaire also mentions nostalgic items, such as cassette tapes, thermoses, "games on floppy" and the Atari 2600.
