Conservation/Preservation

Cataloging, Storage & Maintenance

                                                    

Heirlooms, antiques, collectibles, keepsakes . . . all of them have different values, monetary as well as aesthetic. Our homes and our lives are filled with things. Some are more important then others. Some are more valued then others.
Once you have selected the artifacts to display in
Your Family Museum, which is a conservation project in itself, those placed in storage will be preserved, catalogued and maintained. Here is a guide for you to become acquainted with archival terms to assist you in this endeavor.
        

►Conservation protects, manages the cares of valued artifacts,
    collections, heirlooms, etc.

►Preservation keeps precious items from change, loss or damage.

►Cataloging is making a complete list of all the items displayed
    and in storage, arranged in alphabetical or other systematic order.
    Account ledgers are efficient books in which to log, make
    entries, document, classify, list, index, categorize, sort and divide
    inventory. Keep this information (in hard copy placed in a
    fireproof box and on a computer disc) for the very intent and
    reason for cataloging. By implementing a filing system, it will
    help you create your archive collection.

►Archive is a collection of historical
    documents or records. We all have archives
    of one sort or another: notebooks,
    scrapbooks, family albums, journals, diaries,
    or account books. These bits and pieces of
    recorded dates, places and events are
    extremely helpful as you assemble your
    displays.

You may even become an Archivist – one who keeps records that have enduring value as reliable memories of your family’s past, which will provide an acute understanding of your family’s history. When you do this, you are establishing provenance.

►Provenance is the history & ownership of the item(s) origination.
►Restoration is the repair & renovation to keep all in a good condition.
 

►Storage is the space available for saving 
    and keeping family treasurers. There are
    many types of storage units, some

    specific to size and shape of the item:
    map chests, filing cabinets & archival acid-free boxes for storing valuable photographs, artwork, or documents and precious items such as maps, prints & newspapers.

A plethora of websites will help you to investigate, compare and learn about the many ways to protect your property. You need to consider the space your unit(s) will require, temperature, lighting, accessibility and safety.

      

Once Your Family Museum is complete, your archives created and the preservation, storage and maintenance in place, you can take pride in a job well done and take comfort in the knowledge that your family’s keepsakes, collections, antiques, and other precious items are no longer obscure and forgotten. Your family museum(s) will be a continuous record of past events, present acquisitions, and sets in motion the preservation of future experiences.