In January, the Brooklyn Historical Society inaugurated its first-floor Shellens Gallery with the long-term exhibition “Brooklyn Abolitionists/In Pursuit of Freedom,” which explores the history of abolition and the antislavery movement in Brooklyn. The exhibit is part of a borough-wide project in partnership with the Irondale Ensemble Project and Weeksville Heritage Center, combining for the first time original scholarly research and never-before-seen archival photographs and documents. To that end, the design for the gallery space breaks new ground in how visitors experience imagery and information. The exhibit—based on five years of research led by curator/ historian Prithi Kanakamedala and project manager Kate Fermoile—is a beautiful combination of tactile materials and …