The University of Iowa Museum of Natural History’s Mammal Hall is the subject of a short film that explores the questions that come from visiting museums.
“MAMMAL HALL” is created by Stephanie Miracle, Auden Lincoln-Vogel and Ramin Roshandel.
The project began in the fall of 2019 as a live site-specific dance, choreographed by Miracle, a UI visiting assistant professor in dance. Small audiences would take an audio tour through the Museum of Natural History as dancers performed in the space.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the live performance's premiere was canceled and instead reworked as an interactive podcast and radio play released in July 2020 called “Mammals in Captivity.”
In it, the listener is asked to interact with items in their home, such as an old book or tile on their floor, which are likened to the smell or feel of a museum.