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.