In 2024, the Brick Store Museum opened The Art of Propaganda; this curriculum kit explores the topic of propaganda throughout history and today.
Speaking about propaganda, John F. Kennedy once said “no matter how big the lie; repeat it often enough and the masses will regard it as truth.” The exhibition, “Who Controls the Present: The Art of Propaganda,” explores historic and current day propaganda posters and imagery, including posters from its World Wars poster collection that is one of the largest in New England.
This parallel curriculum kit explores types of propaganda and how to recognize it; and view dozens of World War I and World War II posters created by the US government in the first half of the 20th century; and asks students to explore how propaganda works. Links to today’s form of propaganda, like memes and social media posts, are made and invites participants to take part in advancing the civic dialogue around propaganda and false information.
Museum educators have produced this curriculum kit (for Middle School learners and above) and associated activities for area educators and homeschoolers to use in conjunction with the exhibition or beyond. Students and educators are also invited to field trips to the Museum to explore the exhibition’s primary source materials. To receive the full kit (at no cost!), or to request more information on educational opportunities like field trips and classroom visits, please email info@brickstoremuseum.org.