Life in Mill Village

“Life in Mill Village” is a touchscreen interactive found at the Levine Museum of the New South, and acts as a cornerstone for the history museum’s “Charlotte: Moving Forward” exhibition. It simulates a 20th-century mill town, placing visitors in the role of a worker navigating the difficult choices needed to survive in a skewed economic system.
The aim was to provide visitors with not only a practical history lesson, but also an appreciation for the realities of working and living in a mill town. Employing a “Life Simulator” structure was the key to achieving this goal. As visitors navigate their simulated life, they begin to understand that keeping their mill families out of debt is a delicate balance, requiring them to make tough decisions to balance their finances and their health. They might have to take a higher-paying but more dangerous job, send their children to work instead of school, or go to bed hungry to save money. Events introduce unexpected expenses or relief, such as marriages providing additional spousal income, crippling workplace injuries, or aid from other community members to make ends meet. Careful research and scenario planning ensured historically accurate, engaging content.
Archival photography, oral history quotes, and detailed illustrations bring the experience to life. The visual aesthetic draws from early 20th-century lithographs, reflecting the period’s style and unifying the interactive with the “Charlotte: Moving Forward” exhibition.
Since its installation, “Life in Mill Village” has been a great success, with the Levine Museum and its visitors praising the experience for its emotional impact and engaging gameplay. Engagement among visitors has exceeded expectations, with some surpassing the 5-10 minute expected dwell time by 30-40 minutes as they try to achieve the best outcomes.