SPECIAL FOCUS

MUSEUM 101

A quick education in these unique facilities, which are often forgotten in our world of multi-million dollar recreation centers and aquatic parks

BY JOY A. MATTHIESSEN

Is it possible that people who talk about pH in a pool can work cooperatively with people who talk about pH in paper?

What do swimming pools, fitness centers, golf courses, sled hills and museums have in common? Very often, they are among the richly diverse elements under the jurisdiction of a local park district. Each facility serves its own special interests, but at times it appears the museum facility is a lesser priority. Generally, this has more to do with not understanding what it is that museum people do or where the museum "fits" within the structure of neighborhood parks, day camps and skating rinks. Yet, a museum can play a vital role if given the opportunity to grow and thrive within a park and recreation agency.

So, how does a museum carve its niche in a park district?

In Des Plaines, for example, when a need arose to hire a full-time director to operate the museum facility, the park district became a partner in an intergovernmental agreement between the city of Des Plaines, the park district and the historical society. Sometimes, as is the case for Buffalo Grove, a piece of property is given with the idea that it will be used as a museum. In others, the park district takes on properties that otherwise might be demolished, such as the case with the Morton Grove Park District working in conjunction with the historical society. (See related museum partnership story on page 40.)

Museums do have some technical issues that usually are best served by someone trained in museum studies or historical administration. Just as a curator more than likely will not know what to do about algae in a pool, neither should it be assumed that a parks and recreation professional will know what to do about mold on a photograph. Is it possible that people who talk about pH in a pool can work cooperatively with people who talk about pH in paper? Of course, but it takes some time to educate everyone and get people on track to work together.

A Day in the Life of a Museum

While there is not a typical scenario, a day at the Des Plaines Historical Museum might include accepting donations, cleaning furnishings within the period room setting, dismantling an exhibit, escorting a tour group, assisting researchers and volunteers, overseeing the work of contractors and paying bills.

Doesn't sound too difficult, does it? Let's take a closer look at what's happening.

For example, processing a donation (which means, in part, accepting it into the collection), involves obtaining a signed agreement from the donor, doing necessary research on the object(s) and completing the appropriate accession record paperwork.

First, things must be "accessioned." Accessioning artifacts can be compared to a park district processing fixed assets. An accession number—which is a unique number given an artifact when it comes into the collection—is assigned to each piece and then affixed in the proper manner deemed by the makeup of the artifact. Some accession numbers are "painted" onto an artifact (e.g., glassware and furniture) using special

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Objects must be handled and moved with utmost care. Chairs are lifted from the seat since it is the sturdiest part, while lifting from the back may spell doom for a century old piece. Of course, whoever is doing the moving is wearing white cotton gloves so that dirt and oils from the hands does not transfer to the object and some things, like fine silver, will carry a fingerprint forever if you are not careful. These artifacts are held in public trust, and all personnel, both staff and volunteers, working with the objects receive training to do the job properly.

"From my experience, some of the best museums in the area are ones with agreements involving park districts or the municipality." - Joy Matthiessen, director of the Des Plaines Historical Society

Preparing Museum Exhibits

To illustrate the work involved in preparing a museum exhibit, let's look at the Des Plaines Historical Museum. Its current exhibit, "The Changing Face of Downtown Des Plaines," took approximately 200 hours to research. More than 300 three-dimensional objects, photographs and other paper memorabilia were installed. Photographs and advertisements were reproduced and mounted on acid-free foamcore and mat board. Inert mylar or ethafoam barriers were placed between all objects and the surfaces to which they were affixed. Each object has been carefully protected for the duration of the exhibit.

In all, five staff and six volunteers spent approximately 800 hours on the installation. The movement of all objects from their various storage locations was tracked via the museum's collections management software. Deinstallation this January will take another 200 to 300 hours.

How Museums Benefit Park Districts

So, it's clear that museums require specialized processes and painstaking work. What, then, can a museum offer the park district environment? In the case of a historical museum, there is an opportunity to provide unique educational programs that bridge past and present.

Many park districts are already offering courses such as "pioneer cooking" and "little schoolhouse on the prairie" at museum facilities. There are some potential drawbacks, however, especially when the museum is in an old house. Generally, these facilities were built to be family homes, and activity space is at a premium. Structurally, they may not be up to the wear and tear of hundreds of visitors weekly. Therefore, a small house museum might not be able to accommodate the crowds that park districts often

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Des Plaines' intergovernmental agreement spells out the responsibilities of each of the three parties involved with the historical society board acting as the overseer of the museum. The park district and city are represented by voting liaisons. Due to this cooperation, many projects are tackled that might otherwise go unheeded until the brink of desperation. Last year, for example, the museum got both a new roof and heating system through the entities working together.

In addition, the park district has allowed the historical society use of a room in its administration building which serves as off-site storage for approximately 5,000 three-dimensional objects and 75 square feet of boxed archival materials. Today, the 800-plus-square-foot space is organized with shelving units stretching from floor to ceiling with objects filed in Nomenclature order.

This neon "Bus Depot" sign is one of the hundreds or items in the Des Plaines Historical Museum's exhibit on downtown Des Plaines.

Unfortunately, that was not always the case. In 1993, the museum staff and volunteers undertook a massive overhaul of the room which at one time was referred to as a "junk pile." Since the historical society actively collects memorabilia relating to the history of Des Plaines, this space has become vital to the operation of the museum and enables us to keep collecting. This is especially appreciated when the park district itself could utilize the space. Another benefit of our collaboration is the ability to advertise museum programs, workshops and events in the Des Plaines park district Spectrum. Each issue includes a page of upcoming offerings such as "Preserving Family History," with an emphasis on creating family memories; "Homemade Holiday Decorations" featuring authentic turn-of-the-century patterns; as well as culturally diverse crafts and the July 4th ice cream social. This vehicle enables us to reach 22,000 households in the community.

Be sure to include your local museum in efforts to "create memories," "promote sensitivity to cultural diversity" and "increase community pride." By working together, with mutual respect, much more can be accomplished, and the benefits are endless. •

JOY A. MATTHIESSEN is the museum director for the Des Plaines Historical Museum. She's served in that position for the past nine years and holds a master's degree in Historical Administration from Eastern Illinois University.

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