Schifferstadt Architectural Museum Post 1

A few weeks ago, I began an internship at the Schifferstadt Architectural Museum in Frederick, Maryland.  Schifferstadt is a small non-profit museum that is run by the Frederick County Landmarks Foundation (FCLF).  FCLF is an organization that was founded in the 1970s and currently concerns itself with the preservation of historic sites, structures, and landmarks within the city of Frederick.  The Schifferstadt Architectural Museum, a colonial German stone farmhouse that was built c. 1758 (the oldest standing house in Frederick), is FCLF’s main landmark. 

Schifferstadt is a small museum that has a close relationship with the local residents of Frederick.  The town of Frederick has a rich history and more importantly, a large group of residents and locals who are actively engaged in learning and celebrating their towns’ history.  The Schifferstadt museum is constructed as a recreation of the features of the original farmhouse from the 18^th century, displaying built-in cupboards, three five-plate stoves (one is in its original position- the only known still standing five-plate stove in the United States), a squirrel-tail bake oven, a vaulted cellar, and decorative forged hardware in the kitchen and bedrooms. 

These first few days have shown me the close connection that local residents have with the museum and the extensive upkeep that goes into running a small town museum. The Schifferstadt museum is entirely volunteer-run, with the exception of my boss, who manages affairs part time throughout the week.  Many of my first duties have been small but integral tasks like emailing local organizations to ask for volunteers to help the museum, writing thank you letters to our docents and existing volunteers, or even just re-cataloging digital archives.  

I have found it interesting to see how this small museum displays and teaches visitors about its history.  Though some items on display are authentic 18^th century German amenities (a point that is stressed upon during tours), not all of them are.  Some materials are recreations of what is believed would have been present among the Brunner family in the 1700s.  However, for many visitors, the importance is in seeing a visual representation and depiction of colonial farm life, while translating and internalizing this history with either their own ancestors and family or their own depictions and understandings of the past.  Rika Burnham and Elliott Kal-Kee express a similar understanding in their work Teaching in the Art Museum, stating that such materials should not be considered “an end in itself but as a tool to be used for the larger purpose of enabling each visitor to have deep and distinctive experiences” (9).    

The most important aspect of my work has involved fostering the ongoing relationship between Schifferstadt and the local community.  As Eilean Hooper-Greenhill argues in The Educational Role of the Museum, one of the most important aspects of a small museum is for its ideas and development to be “founded upon a recognition of community needs and professionalism” (195).  The local community is the backbone of the Schifferstadt, providing the museum with the encouragement and passion to continue providing a historical and educational space.  In the upcoming week, I look forward to beginning my work on larger projects and hope to expand my understanding of the work environment of a small museum like Schifferstadt.  

References

Burnham, Rika and Elliott Kai-Kee. Teaching in the Art Museum: Interpretation as Experience. Getty Publications, 2011.

Hooper-Greenhill, Eilean. The Educational Role of the Museum. Psychology Press, 1999. 

Second Blog Post

By Chelsea Mueller

Interning for the National Electronics Museum (NEM) has provided me with new insight and perspective to various aspects of museum work from record keeping to storage maintenance.  As the storage move enters its final phases, NEM’s catalog system is continually being updating to account for the relocation of various items.   I am amazed by the amount of preparation and detail needed in both the formulation and aftermath of the move.  

In preparing for my internship, I have read a variety of sources regarding museum work.  Literature dedicated to the subject of storage moves is limited; however, there are sources available which discuss storage maintenance and planning.  For example, Lynn Swain’s “Storage” outlines ideal locations and items needed for any storage warehouse.  When transferring items to the new location, NEM had to transfer items from the previous location, such as ladders and chairs, as well as additional new materials.  For several months, NEM was actively preparing to move artifacts to a new storage location.  This processes included tagging various items, creating labels, which would indicate their location at the new storage facility, as well as determining the location for items that would remain within the museum.  If an item was missing a label, a hand written label would be created with specific data to cross-reference the information at a later time.  While preparation for the move took over a month, relocating artifacts to the new location lasted about a week.  Movers were able to empty the former storage house in approximately three day, while the staff was able to speedily process items at the new location.  While the physical move was relatively short, cataloging items remaining within the museum would be a lengthy process. 

Through continually handling and examining the various tags on artifacts, I have learned different cataloging and labeling systems.   For example, the different types of labels utilized in record keeping, when an artifact is added to the collection as well as recognizing the different parts to a single object.  There is an ample amount of information on cataloging as well as labeling artifacts, most of the electronics within NEM’s storage utilizes a variety of identifying systems.   As a result, I am now familiar with the different systems referenced throughout various writings on museum work. Marie C. Malaro and Ildiko DeAngelis' book A Legal Primer on Managing Museum Collections, addresses various aspects of museum work from processing items to the different rules and regulations protecting artifacts.  While working within the storage house, my supervisor would often explain the labeling system and the history regarding various items.  It was beneficial learning both hands on about the inner workings of the museum as well as having various texts to reference regarding various aspects of accessioning and protecting artifacts. 

This storage move has been a remarkable learning experience.   I am continually amazed by the work NEM’s staff performs on a daily basis.  Their dedication to education for children and adults is inspiring.  As my internship enters its final phases I am excited to learn more about museum work. 

References:

Swain, Lynn. “Storage.” In MRM5: Museum Registration Methods 5th Edition.  Ed. Rebecca A    Buck and Jean Allman Gilmore. The AAM Press: Washington DC, 2010.

Malaro, Marie C. and Ildiko DeAngelis.  A Legal Primer on Managing Museum Collections          Third Edition. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution, 2012.