A record number of visitors came to the Monroe County Local History Room & Museum in Sparta over the holiday season to view the “Back to the 1980s Christmas” exhibit. During the seven-week run of the exhibit over 2,300 people came to the History Room to bask in the nostalgia of the 1980s, as they viewed dozens of the most popular playthings from four decades ago on display in a recreated living room curated with historically accurate flooring, wall décor, holiday decorations, and furniture. Many top selling toys of the decade were on view, from He-Man to Rainbow Brite; from Teddy Ruxpin to Pee Wee Herman; GI Joe to Cabbage Patch Kids. There was even a working console television playing a loop of decade-appropriate commercials, TV show and cartoon intros, and music videos (since MTV debuted in 1981). The “Back to the 1980s Christmas” exhibit was the fourth decade holiday exhibit the Local History Room created starting with a 1970s living room in 2014. The museum created a 1950s living room for the 2017 holiday season (which held the previous attendance record), and a 1960s display in 2021.
According to History Room Director, Jarrod Roll, “These decade-rooms have been a wonderful way for our museum to build community relationships, generate interest in history, and spread holiday cheer. Every decade we feature brings in a new audience and results in us making new community connections as people answer the call to lend particular items for the exhibit.” Roll attributes the record number of visitors to the 1980s Christmas display to several factors, such as word of mouth, favorable weather, a large demographic which has a connection to the 1980s, and a mutually beneficial cross-promotional partnership with Kriskindlmarkt in downtown Sparta. “The efforts of so many people and groups result in the success of an exhibit like this,” states Roll. “We could never pull it off on our own, nor would we want to. Making meaningful connections to history is a richer experience when it is a shared experience.”
The Monroe County Local History Room & Museum is located at 200 West Main St. Regular hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 9am-4pm. Admission is free. Visit Facebook.com/MCLHR to learn more about upcoming events and exhibits.