Alana Joy Okonkwo encourages visitors to think about museum objects as holders of memory and lived experience. Reflecting on a Nigerian gourd by Audu Mai Alijeta displayed at the Fowler Museum, Okonkwo suggests that museums and archives cannot fully capture every aspect of an object’s history. Instead, viewers are invited to closely observe the details of each piece and consider the stories, experiences, and perspectives objects might share if they could speak for themselves. She highlights the importance of curiosity, close looking, and imagining histories beyond what is written in museum labels.