A recent job was to help with a temporary exhibition changeover at the Local Heritage Library (located on the first floor of Stockport Central Library). There is a display case on the landing of the first floor, which is changed around every so often to display objects from the collection. Last year’s Museums trainee Carrie, had helped create an exhibition on cameras. These were to come out, and a display about the 1948 Olympics was to go in to coincide with the London 2012 Olympics. Nicola, Janny, Katie (a volunteer) and myself went to the LHL to take out the cameras, making sure everything on the inventory list was present and accounted for, and then they could be re-packaged for transportation back to the heritage stores. These were then put back in their respective boxes. Nicola and Janny created the new Olympics display, which includes union flag bunting from the 1920s and an old cycle helmet from the early 1950s.
Katie and I checking the cameras from the exhibition and re-packaging them for transport
I shall add a photo of the final display ASAP!…
Fabric tape & archival ink pen
I have also been doing some sewing. When a textile is accessioned into the collection, the method of marking the object with the object number is writing the number onto fabric tape with curatorial grade ink; and then sewing this tape into the garmet in a discreet place, preferably where there are already needle holes from other stitches. It is also important to use thread as close to the colour of the textile as possible – in the case of a lovely golden yellow dress, circa 1930s/40s, I chose orange thread out of three possible colours.
Choosing the thread
Fabric tape sewn in
The dress, which is now being frozen before it can go into the collection
Museum Musings 