After receiving request after request for help from patrons looking to preserve items like old photographs, christening gowns and quilts, Hilary Fleck decided it was time to save grandma’s attic.
Fleck, the collection manager at the Monroe County History Center, was used to hearing from people who had inherited personal artifacts but weren’t sure how to protect them against time.
“You get people who are quite frustrated and overwhelmed with all the stuff they have and don’t know what to do with,” she said.
So, the museum opened an exhibit to help educate people about preservation.
The exhibit, called “Saving Grandma’s Attic,” will run until the fall. With it, Fleck hopes to equip visitors with contact information and resources to effectively preserve their personal artifacts.
The museum doesn’t preserve things itself, but it can refer patrons to preservation resources across the state. Some, like the E. Lingle Craig Preservation Lab, are located right in Bloomington.
“Even though we can’t do anything, we hope that we can help you get the help you need,” Fleck said.
Basic protection of personal artifacts doesn’t necessarily have to involve a professional, though, Fleck said. And although the museum can refer you to archival-grade products to preserve personal artifacts, preservation doesn’t have to be hugely expensive.
“There are small things that you can still do that make a big difference,” she said.
Fleck’s first tip is for where personal artifacts are stored. Attics, basements and sunlight should all be avoided.
Erin Anderson, the education and public programs manager for the museum, recommended that personal artifacts be placed in materials that allow airflow, like tissue paper or archival-grade boxes. Storage materials like dry-cleaning bags or trash bags can produce gases that damage the artifacts, while materials like cardboard might attract bugs.
Textiles should not be hung on hangers, which create damaging stress on the fabric.
Anderson also recommended that preservers pay attention to what materials come into contact with personal artifacts. Even acid-free glues and tapes should be used with caution, as time can turn harmless substances into destructive ones.
Photo albums from the 60s and 70s frequently used sticky wax to fix photos in place. This wax, Anderson said, can be extremely damaging to photos. Documents and photographs should be stored in entirely acid-free materials. Mylar sleeves are a good option to protect documents that are double-sided.
Teaching visitors about preserving personal artifacts can be good for the museum down the road when people decide to donate artifacts to the museum’s collections, Anderson said.
“The more people save their things and properly conserve them, then museums like us are more apt to take them because they’re in better shape,” she said.
But personal artifacts’ greatest value are the memories and histories they carry for their owners, Fleck says. She gestures to items on display at the museum.
“These are meaningful family histories that allow us to connect with our ancestors and family members,” she said. “You want to keep them around.”
