Students and faculty gathered Thursday at Rowe Hall to celebrate the opening of “CMU: Life Behind Classroom Walls,” an exhibit in the Museum of Cultural and Natural History.

Museum Director Jay Martin conceived the exhibit’s theme and 34 students from a variety of disciplines built the displays. It is the biggest temporary exhibit the museum has ever held with more than 15 displays, and Martin’s first since he was named director in July 2010.

“We wanted it to be an exhibit students could easily relate to,” Martin said. “It just seemed natural.”

Greenville senior Andrea Martin aimed to show how students’ study methods have changed over the years with her case in the exhibit. It contained photos, a typewriter, a laptop and other artifacts gathered from the museum’s collection.

“Technology is one of the biggest changes,” Andrea Martin said. “We have more access to information with the Internet, but we still use textbooks and caffeine.”

South Haven senior Katie Bleil and Grant senior Hannah Jenkins designed a case focused on college drinking containing empty beer bottles from the past and present arranged in chronological order. Bleil said during prohibition, which lasted from 1919 to 1933, students organized drinking events by putting secret passwords in the student newspaper, then Central Normal Life.

“I really enjoyed putting it together because it’s so eclectic,” Jenkins said. “It basically illustrates the fact that beer and drinking are a part of university life whether you like it or not.”

Martin said that, while he was pleased with the entire exhibit, his favorite part was the children’s activity room.

“I always have a soft spot for activities for children,” Martin said. “It allows us to try to think about what is similar between the experience of a college student and elementary school student and try to connect them together.”

The children’s room was created by Troy senior Kellie DeSchutter and Flat Rock senior Jillian Matthews. It has a combination of interactive displays from departments across campus, including athletics and dining services.

“We focused on different games related to campus life,” Matthews said. “Kids are able to dress up like a CMU student, they’re able to create a dining hall meal and they can design their own dorm room."

Martin described the exhibit as experimental because students were given a level of control over the museum unheard of since its early days, and because much of the exhibit exists outside of the traditional presentation spaces.

He said students succeeded in creating an exhibit that pushed the limits of what the museum is capable of, and that they had an unprecedented learning experience.

“I’m very proud,” Martin said. “To see the creativity of all these students is just amazing.”

The exhibit runs through Sept. 30.

The museum is located on the first floor of Rowe Hall and is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, and 1 to 5 p.m. weekends except for university holidays. The museum and the exhibits — designed and built by students of the museum studies program — are open free of charge.