Access to museum collections

[edharmon]

I was wondering how easy is it to get access to equipment/uniforms and the like in museum collections? Will most (or even some) allow people to examine and measure it while wearing gloves and the like? I live near Philadelphia, and was thinking about trying this at Gettysburg and the new museum in Harrisburg. Also, are there any other collections around Philadelphia that you know of?

[dusty27]

Re: Access to museum collections

David,

I'm sure that each institution has their own guidelines with visiting "behind closed doors". I would contact each museum to see if you can set something up with them individually.

[BHoover]

Re: Access to museum collections

I was wondering how easy is it to get access to equipment/uniforms and the like in museum collections? Will most (or even some) allow people to examine and measure it while wearing gloves and the like? I live near Philadelphia, and was thinking about trying this at Gettysburg and the new museum in Harrisburg. Also, are there any other collections around Philadelphia that you know of?

It's going to be very hard to walk into a major museum as an unknown individual and have much ability to do anything. But there are several things you can do to improve your chances. One is to find an organization that has a relationship with the museum. Start slowly and learn the ground rules.

Many museums have some kind of Friends organization. Volunteer with them and prove that you are serious. Once you are a respected member you will know the museum people, and more importantly, they will know you, and know they can trust you. This will also give you introductions to other museums, as many of the staff from various museums know each other. Then, when you are travelling, you will have the ability to visit other organizations as well.

It's not going to be an instant gratification thing. It will take time, and effort, but the end result is well worth it. Just last week, for example, I was at a museum conference in Virginia at which we were allowed to visit Mt. Vernon after hours, go to many rooms that are not normally open, and take photographs in all the rooms as we liked. Or, several years ago, at Monticello, we got to go up in the dome, and also down in the basement to see how the ongoing operations works. Another year we got to go "behind the scenes" at the steamship Arabia museum. All this by virtue of my membership in a museum group.

Hope I haven't discouraged you, because that's not my intent, but just want to be realistic about it.

[Yellowhammer]

Re: Access to museum collections

David,

No offense, but from your email, we can tell you probably aren't qualified to get access to an original garment. If we can sense that from just your post, you probably aren't going to get access to many collections.

A good first step would be to identify local collections (there are several in Philly.) No offense, but if you haven't done enough research to even know what collections are available in your area, you probably aren't qualified to look at an original item. As Bruce said, you have to do a lot of legwork (sometime years), research and a lot of "sweat equity" before you can walk in.

Museums are getting harder and harder to get into because unqualified people (particularly reenactors) with no real research agenda have gone in to see "neat stuff" and screwed it up for the rest of us. I know of a museum in Hudson, NY that was very accomodating with requests to view pieces from their collection until a pair of reenactors went in and mishandled two garments garments. No permanent damage was done to items but the museum is no longer nearly as accessible as it was.

Very frankly, 99% of us don't need to touch and minutely examine original items. That's what books and research materials are for. For example, the MOC offers detailed specifications on many of the items in their collection to limit the number of times someone needs to access that item.

Last, when you have done the research and volunteer work and finally get to hold an original item, you should consider that viewing a priveledge!

[NY Pvt]

Re: Access to museum collections

John,
Which museum in Hudson were you are talking about that had some problems with reenactors? Is it the one that houses items from Col. Cowles (128th NY) collection? If it is, do you happen to have the name of the museum and contact information so I can get a hold of them and find out their hours.

Thanks

[delawaric]

Re: Access to museum collections

I was wondering how easy is it to get access to equipment/uniforms and the like in museum collections? Will most (or even some) allow people to examine and measure it while wearing gloves and the like? I live near Philadelphia, and was thinking about trying this at Gettysburg and the new museum in Harrisburg. Also, are there any other collections around Philadelphia that you know of?

David,
Check out The Civil War Library and Museum thats in Philly if you havent all ready. Heres a link to their website http://www.netreach.net/~cwlm/ .

[Staunton Rebel]

Re: Access to museum collections

I must humbly disagree with some of the statements made. When I go visiting a museum I have always called a few weeks in advance and spoken to the curator or the collections custodial staff and they have been more than willing to show me what ever I've asked for within reason. For example, in Jan. of this year I wanted to see a presentation sword at the Museum of the Confederacy that belonged to a member of the 5th Va., I called and spoke to the head curator and we made an appointment to meet and even though he was not there, he had a staff member there with the sword and all the information I needed and even allowed me to photograph it. Now granted, when dealing with clothing, it's a bit harder to pull those items out to examine, but that is why the staff is there. Museums are our learning facilities and most curators are happy to open up their collections to the public. I know they get a little annoyed when we try to put demands on them(As I learned this summer working at the Woodrow Wilson birthplace, thank you A&E channel) But be gracious and straight forward and I'm sure you will have no trouble.

Pvt. Waverly B. Adcock
5th Va. Co. E.

[David Swarens]

Re: Access to museum collections

Increasingly collections are being posted on-line. And while this will not yield all the information of closer contact, it can be a very good "next best" or first step.

As mentioned, all institutions have their own policies and procedures.
Museum staff will always appreciate a focused request, so do as much as you can in advance with collection indexes, "collections on line", and other avenues which have no impact on the artifact, in advance of your access request.

And then ask for it by number as as well as description. Demonstrate that you respect their time as well as the collection they are gatekeepers for.
And best wishes!
Yours,
David Swarens.

[NMVolunteer]

Re: Access to museum collections

Since this is an old thread being reactivated, I'll just chip in quickly before the moderators lock it. We prefer advanced notice and focused research requests. Someone calling to say "I will be at the museum tomorrow, can I look at some stuff" will be turned down without hesitation, at least at my museum. Someone sending an email with a good personal introduction (with a partial CV would be nice), a specific list of what they are looking for, a specific list of items in our collection that they know about (because they browsed our online catalog), and an appointment scheduled for a few weeks in the future, will be welcomed to the museum without hesitation. Although the artifacts are held in a public trust and everybody gets to benefit from their use in educational settings, they are not available for anybody to handle, especially when they have been carefully stored away in collections storage. Researchers need a legitimate reason for having artifacts removed from storage (as researchers are not permitted to enter collections storage, the artifacts are brought upstairs to my office for viewing). I will permit them to touch artifacts if they have a very good reason for doing so, but only after explaining how to safely handle artifacts, and providing the nitrile gloves necessary for safe handling.

An example of a good research request would be one we had at the beginning of the year. A journalist sent me an email, telling me who he was and who he worked for, provided some links to things he wrote, and said he was writing about a topic and wanted to look at a few specific items in three weeks.

[AndrewGrim]

Re: Access to museum collections

It would depend on the institution. but don't walk in the front door and expect to get in. The Autry will let researchers from both academics and costumers in to see the collection, you wont get in because it would it would be neat to see something. You will also need to know what you are looking for in advance, and be aware that some institutions have miss identified artifacts, and will not change the identification.

[NMVolunteer]

Re: Access to museum collections

You will also need to know what you are looking for in advance, and be aware that some institutions have miss identified artifacts, and will not change the identification.

I know all about that. When the staff has little familiarity with military weapons and gear (usually at non-military museums), they seem to leave the catalog records vague or unfilled, or they attribute it to the Civil War or World War II. So at a museum that used to collect all sorts of odds and ends (since it was a 100+ year old university museum), I found an "Enfield" in the collection (unfortunately FIC), flagged as being a Civil War musket. Upon close review, I found that it was actually an 1858 or 1859 India pattern Enfield. Next to it was a "German Rifle", which was actually a Commission Rifle. My current museum has a set of "Civil War uniforms", which were actually 1880s pattern uniform components. It also has a "Mexican Bayonet" (actually pre-Revolution Russian for the M1891 Rifle) and a "European Bayonet" (actually an M1854 Danish bayonet).

[maillemaker]

Re: Access to museum collections

I must humbly disagree with some of the statements made. When I go visiting a museum I have always called a few weeks in advance and spoken to the curator or the collections custodial staff and they have been more than willing to show me what ever I've asked for within reason.

Exactly. Man, I wonder if some of these people have ever done this.

My main reenacting hobby was medieval reenacting. My experience is that most museums will bend over backwards to help people who have a genuine research interest in their curated items. These people live for the rare people who are truly interested in what they have instead of the usual passing tourist whose deepest response is "That's nice."

I have had "behind the scenes" viewings of medieval armour and the restoration workshops at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Royal Armouries in Leeds, and the Wallace Collection in London.

All you need to do is make arrangements some months in advance, have a specific research inquiry, and be polite and respectful and humble.

Do not make some overly-broad request like, "Show me everything in your reserve collection." For example, I was going to the above museums to take microscopic photographs of maille armour. Much of what they have in their collections is not on display and is in their reserve collection. They allowed me access to many different pieces in their reserve collections, back in their conservation areas. Naturally you will be wearing cotton or nitrile gloves (bonus points if you bring your own - you demonstrate you know what you are doing).

Steve

[Pennvolunteer]

Re: Access to museum collections

I'm a museum director. The answer is, "it depends". A very focused research request, well in advance, laying out the reasons, and quite honestly justifying why you need to do it, gets reasonable consideration. The more artifacts are handled, the worse it is for them, so it needs to be justified and the information not available otherwise. In fact, if we have or know of the information, we may provide it or the resource. Qualifications help as well, that you know what you're doing. As someone mentioned, being a volunteer at a museum is a great way to help, and opens up many opportunities, and you'll get trained. Short notice, general requests, without good reason get denied for the most part.