Eye on the Esplanade: The stuff you can find in museum storage
By Medicine Hat News on November 3, 2017.
Throughout the almost 30 years that I’ve been working in museums, a common question I’ve been asked is, “Where is the best stuff you have; the stuff stored away in the back?” It never fails to make me think that the popular image of museum storage must be like the final scene of “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” that of a vast, dimly-lit room containing dusty crates of fabulous treasures. That’s not quite how it is!
True, we do have some good pieces in storage, and everyone has their own idea of what the “best” might be. However, a museum’s first duty towards its artifact collections is to preserve them, and the history they represent. That’s easiest to do within the storage area, where we can keep light levels low, control temperature and humidity, and generally provide the best environment for long-term care. In order to provide learning opportunities, museums do display parts of their collections that are physically robust enough to withstand exhibit, and that contribute to an exhibit’s theme.
We feel that the objects displayed in our Museum Gallery are the best we have to tell the general history of Medicine Hat and the surrounding district. We also build temporary exhibitions around the other great pieces in the collection so they may be enjoyed by our visitors within a context that makes sense.
We also have some pieces that may never be exhibited, but are still valuable parts of the collection. For example, we have several pieces of a North-West Mounted Police uniform that were found stuffed in the walls of the old barracks and stables when they were torn down in 1968. The pieces are moth-eaten, ripped and stained; not at all suitable for display. They represent a wonderful resource for clothing historians in preserving materials and construction techniques that aren’t often accessible otherwise.
Our stored collections are available to anyone wanting to do research, whether for specific projects, publication, or to satisfy their curiosity. Collectors of Medalta, Altaglass, and other materials often visit just to see what we have in the collection. Artists sometimes go through our collections storage, looking for pieces that might inspire new works. Artifacts in storage are also available to other museums for their research and exhibition projects. We currently have pieces on loan to the Moose Jaw Museum and Art Gallery, and the Canadian War Museum.
Our stored collections may not be as visible as those on display, but they’re working just as hard to make sure the Esplanade fulfills its mandate to the people of Medicine Hat. The notion that museums keep their “best stuff” hidden away is largely a myth.
Tim McShane is Museum Curatorial assistant.
