September 14, 2017
by Hannah Rea, Social Media Intern
On September 13, the GBL participated in #AskACurator Day, which is a chance for anyone to send question in to participating museums. The GBL was one of some 1500 museums from more than 50 countries around the world that took part. More information on the day can be found here .
One question the GBL received was related to the recent devastation caused by hurricanes in the Southern United States and the Caribbean:
Q: What role do curators play in developing disaster preparedness plans for artifacts and museum collections? What are the priorities of curators when returning to post-disaster museums and collections which have incurred significant damage?
A: The first step upon return is assessing damage. Then as necessary, re-bag and re-tag artifacts that can be saved, kill mold, deal with bacteria, move the artifacts to a stable environment, etc. Most institutions already have a disaster plan in place to deal with such situations, which is made with the help of curators/administration, depending on the affiliations of the museum.
Here are answers from our staff to a few more questions that were asked with the hashtag throughout the day!
Q: What proportion of your collection do you have on display?
A: It’s hard to even give a ballpark estimate; we have millions of artifacts, the bulk of which isn’t able to be exhibited for various reasons (i.e. pottery sherds, time-sensitive artifacts). It would probably be less than 1%. (Melody Pope, Curator of Collections)
Q: What social media methods are museums using to appeal to Millennials?
A: Lots of museums are doing more ‘Live’ events on Facebook and Twitter, and giving followers a look into what goes on behind the scenes at their favorite institutions. There are also several campaigns that museums have had success with, including #DayofArchaeology, which the GBL took part in over the summer. One-on-one interaction is really important to increasing awareness and interest in museums and their collections! (Hannah Rea, Social Media Intern)
Q: What was the most recent item that made you think, ‘I can’t believe I get to do this for a living’?
A: A month or so ago, Bailey and I needed to gather artifacts to take some requested images, and a mastodon tooth was on the list. I told Bailey I knew where one was without having to check the database, and it occurred to me that I’m so lucky to have a job where I get to say things like, “Follow me, I know where to find a mastodon molar in the back.” (Alex Elliott, Collections Assistant)
Q: What are some of the hardest objects to conserve in your collection?
A: Negatives are difficult because of the way they age and decompose. A good deal of our large format acetate negatives suffer from warping, bubbles, and channeling. (Bailey Foust, Collections Assistant)
Thanks to all who participated in this year’s #AskACurator Day!