Minett Stories is an online exhibition focused on the history of the industrial southern region of Luxembourg known as the Minett. The multilingual exhibition (English, German French) features twenty-one interrelated vignettes revealing diverse facets of the region’s history, which has been heavily influenced by iron and steel production and the mining of “minette” iron ore, which lends the region its name.
Minett Stories connects the history of technology intimately with cultural and social history by tracing transformations in landscapes, places, and people shaped by rapid industrialization, followed by equally rapid deindustrialization, and constant shifts in technologies and population from the 1870s to the 1970s. It illustrates with examples and personal reflections how these changes impacted both social groups and individuals. There is an emphasis on workers and families as inhabitants, showcasing how the industrial character of the region has shaped its culture and identity up until today. Such an approach establishes an emotional connection with the audience, making for engaging storytelling (with radio plays, graphic novels, interactive videos and maps).
The seamless integration of digital collections enhances their value and impact taken together as a whole. The user path is not linear but instead offers many choices simultaneously, making maximum use of the viewer’s freedom to explore, repeat, and compare. For both those who live there and those who have never been to Luxembourg, this exhibition illustrates how a digital exploration of the past and its shifting currents of industry, technology, and culture can result in a satisfying and important learning experience.