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Exhibit sheds light on forgotten lives

At The Museum of disAbility History
Posted at 9:49 AM, Nov 10, 2018
and last updated 2018-11-10 09:49:49-05

It's an exhibit that tells the story of people who were locked away and forgotten. Douglas Platt, curator at the Museum of disAbilty History says this latest exhibit is the result of an unusual discovery "four hundred suitcases discovered in the attic oif Willard State Hospital in the Finger Lakes."

Called "The Lives They Left Behind: Suitcases From A State Hospital Attic" explores the stories of patients like Laurence Mocha who was institutionalized for fifty years at Willard State Hospital. Douglas says "these are real people who lived real lives."

The exhibit has traveled the country for 10 years and has now found a permanent home here at the museum. The exhibit is here to "honor the memories of those who were once forgotten and to inspire dialogue about the treatment of those with mental illness."

You can check the Museum of disAbility History website for more information.