People often turn to history books to learn about bygone eras, but a new exhibit at the showcases the value of postcards important cultural documents. The exhibit contains old and new postcards that depict a variety of coastal North Carolina scenes: people on beaches, coastal transportation, architecture, and more. Some of the cards have even been altered to be viewed in 3-D. (Glasses are provided.)
The exhibit, called Post from the Coast, kicks off May 11 and runs through November. The postcards on view are from both the Museum of the Albemarle and local collector Gary Cooper. According to the exhibit text, the U.S. introduced postcards in 1873 because the public wanted an easier way to send quick notes. Prior to World War I, most postcards were manufactured in Germany because that country had perfected the technology of adding color to black-and-white photos. Today, the rise of social media has hastened the decline of written correspondence. The Museum sees that as just another step in the postcard's long history of evolution.
