Preservation

County historical societies and museums have some of the most varied collections you’ll find within the museum field. Preserving those collections takes knowledge of a wide range of materials, along with the best practices for caring for those materials over time.

Museum staff are happy to answer any questions you may have about preserving items in your personal collections. Just give us a call or send an email.

Below are resources related to various museum preservation practices.

A Statement about Historic Preservation

Business History Form (Download & print this 1-page pdf form to summarize the history of a business. Please provide a completed copy of the form to MCHS for its collections.)

Caring for Brass & Bronze (Part I)

Caring for Brass & Bronze (Part II)

Conducting Interviews for History

Funeral Exhibits

Growing the Green: Cultural & Natural Resources Are Vital Roots of Economic Development

House History Forms (gather your house history using the forms we’ve developed)

House History How-To

House History: Some Assembly Required

House-Naming Convention

Identify Your Photos

Little Elk Heritage Preserve Collection

Managing Media

Mold – It’s Everywhere!

More Than Just Pretty Buildings

Photo Preservation

Plastics Identification (pdf document)

Preservation Perceptions

Preserving Heirlooms

Preserving Holiday Ornaments

Safeguarding Your Shoes

Sorting for History: Leaving a Legacy Through Your Possessions – This guide will help you sort and store the possessions you want to pass along as your legacy using techniques suitable for museum collections. A print version is available through the Morrison County Historical Society’s Shop.

Taking Care of Township Records

The National Register of Historic Places

The Positive Power of Preservation

What’s Left Out (an examination of what is left out of the historic record)

What’s Worth Saving? (an article about the complexities of preservation)

Why Save Manuscripts?