Looking at the Oak Alley website, I had to check the email link to make sure the link I clicked was actually for a museum and not a random website for an inn. Not a good first sign. As I around the website some more, it became pretty apparent that slavery is hardly mentioned at all and there is little to no mention of a museum. The whole place is advertised more as an inn/restaurant with the idea that this a “nice and happy” place to stay despite the history that happened on those exact grounds. All the positive language, along with the fact that all the white space is filled with positive pictures downplays the history of slavery and gives off the impression that was not as bad as most people say it was. It is important to note that they don’t directly try to downplay slavery, but rather that is the impression that is given off because of the lack of emphasis on it, despite them calling themselves a ‘museum’.

On the other hand, the Whitney plantation is set up as a simple, plain website with very direct information about what is being advertised with short and concise language. While there is an attempt for positive emotion, it seems to only be about the visit itself and not as much about the history and it feels in the Oak Alley website. The biggest difference for me was the type of pictures that are portrayed on the website. While on the Oak Alley website there were many pictures of people actually on the tour, smiling and seeming to be generally having a good time, the pictures on the Whitney plantation seem to be of the exhibits themselves, sparing no time to try to show what the exhibits are exactly. This gives off the impression that the Whitney exhibit is more of the traditional museum in the sense that their main goal is tell the history of their lands rather than try to get you to spend the night there and wake up to a bed and breakfast the next day.

Overall, it makes me kind of sad that Oak Alley even tries to call themselves a museum. They seem to be more after the customers wallet rather than teaching them about the history. I wouldn’t really call them a museum, but rather a title which tells its audience that it has a lesser focus on the history, ie: a foundation, or gallery that is part of the inn. Personally, I would only classify Whitney as a museum and not Oak Alley.