"Thanks for your help. Remember, you can make
history by posting to History Happened Here! St. Louis stories.
"If you have any questions, please contact
us at akd@mohistory.org."
The History Happened Here! is at www.flickr.com/groups/historyhappenedhere/
The main museum site on Flickr is at www.flickr.com/photos/mohistory.
Ms. Dietz recently wrote an article for the
museum's online magazine, Voices. It explained how the museum
is moving into the interactive age.
She stressed how availability of museum pictorial
assets has been broadened by the switch to digital technology,
especially when it comes to pictures and illustrations.
"MHM is currently undertaking initiatives
that allow us to share digitized images more broadly than
ever before," she said. The digitized photos have been added
to the museum's own website (www.mohistory.com).
But, she said the museum "needs to reach out
and communicate where the public is."
One of these new communication venues is Flickr,
a photo and video-sharing site established in 2004. She
said Flickr now has over 2 million members and 3 billion
images.
Earlier this year, MHM joined many other
institutions to set up Flickr accounts.
The museum now is expanding its Flickr account
to invite both young and older Missouri and Illinois residents
to help add to the historical resources.
Hence the History Happened Here! feature that
focuses on the exchange of photos. This is where young kids
can offer contributions of history they know about.
For instance, one recent contribution to
"History Happened Here" was from a resident who posted a
1933 picture of a former St. Louis "soup kitchen" that helped
feed local residents during the Great Depression.
The picture showed a host of adults and kids
posed in front of the Holy Ghost Full Gospel Mission. The
resident said his great grandparents operated the kitchen.
(To view it on Flickr, go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/rodinal1/2184063939/.)
(From this page, you also link to a number
of other groupings of pictures, including Historic and Old
Photos, Views: 2000, Antique Photographs, Fading America
and History Happens Here! St. Louis stories.)
Ms. Dietz urges kids to take some time to
look at the different aspects of the History Happened Here!
account on Flickr. She said you'll probably find something
you like and also figure out how to use the material in
your own ways.
She also urged each person to consider becoming
a Flickr account member so you can interact with the content.
For instance, each of the pictures posted has a place for
members of give their reactions.
But, of special interest is that having a
Flickr account membership allows you to post your own special
views of your St. Louis history.
Ms. Dietz said establishing your own account
is simple. Just go to Flickr
and click on Create
Your Account. You then set up a Yahoo ID by
looking for the Sign
Up link.
"Once you have your ID, enter it along with
your password and you're on your way," she said.
As a part of its effort to make itself more
accessible to the public, the MHM also has accounts with
Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. These are all interactive
websites that allow people to not only look up information
but also participate.
Ms. Dietz also said you can offer your personal
historic story and pictures to inclusion in the museum's
archives.
She said she can explain this process. Call
her at (314) 746-4599.
Calling
all St. Louis-area kids! The Missouri History Museum wants
to hear from you about local history stories and pictures
that have impacted you and your family. 
The
museum in Forest Park has launched a "History Happened Here"
feature on its Flickr website.