Visitors to the Secret History exhibit don’t just observe—they step into an immersive world of river culture, history, and storytelling. The exhibit features a digital archive, interview excerpts, a hands-on library of river-related books and materials, and the shantyboat itself, where visitors can sit, listen, and explore. Inside the hosting institution, an interactive experience invites deeper engagement with the people and places of America’s river communities.
Stepping onto the recreated shantyboat is stepping into another world. Visitors can pick up a banjo, leaf through a book, or simply sit and listen—overhearing the voices of shantyboaters, scientists, historians, and locals whose lives are shaped by the river. Through individual stories and thematic paths, visitors navigate issues of environment, community, displacement, and resilience.
At every exhibition, visitors are invited to contribute their own river stories. Handwritten or typed, these personal recollections become part of the Secret History archive, ensuring that the living history of our rivers continues to grow.
Upcoming Exhibitions
Here are upcoming exhibitions:
Stay tuned for exhibitions in the Atchafalaya Basin and New Orleans.
Past Exhibitions
Over the years, Secret History has traveled across the country, bringing the stories of river communities to museums, galleries, public spaces, and academic institutions. Here are some past exhibitions and artist talks:
National & Regional Exhibitions
- Portland Museum, Louisville, KY – Full exhibition (2019)
- Sacramento History Museum, Sacramento, CA – Full exhibition (2017)
- River Discovery Center, Paducah, KY – Full exhibition (2016)
- Kennedy Douglass Center for the Arts, Florence, AL – Full exhibition (2016)
- Knoxville Museum of Art / Volunteer Landing, Artist talk (2016)
- National Mississippi River Museum, Dubuque, IA – Pop-up exhibition (2015)
University & Research Presentations
- UC Santa Cruz, DANM MFA Exhibition – Full exhibition (2015)
- Leonardo Art Science Evening Rendezvous, UC Santa Cruz – Artist talk (2016)
- University of Minnesota, River City Revue, St. Paul Yacht Club – Pop-up exhibition (2015)
- University of California Davis, Leonardo Art Science Evening Rendezvous – Artist talk (2015)
- Friday Forum for Graduate Research, UC Santa Cruz – Artist talk (2015)
Public & Community Events
- Ebb & Flow, Santa Cruz, CA – Pop-up exhibition (2017, 2018, 2019)
- East Bay Mini Maker Faire, Oakland, CA – Pop-up exhibition (2018, 2019)
- North Brooklyn Boat Club, Greenpoint, Brooklyn, NY – Open house (2018)
- Waterfront Museum, Brooklyn, NY – Exhibition and artist talk (2018)
- FIGMENT Art Festival, Oakland, CA – Pop-up exhibition (2014)
- Felton Remembers Parade, Felton, CA – Exhibition (2017, 2018, 2019)
This is just a selection of past exhibitions. For more information about hosting Secret History as an exhibition, visit our Exhibitions Page.