Curating Collections: A New Resource for Museums, Archives, and Collectors
As a historian, I have visited a LOT of historic organizations. I have used their archives, enjoyed their exhibits, and participated in their events. They have all been incredibly unique sites, boasting spectacular artifacts, important materials, and a community heritage that they are protecting. With such a big task, it is unfortunate that many of these institutes do not have the time, resources, staff, knowledge, or any combination of those things to ensure that their collection is accessible and utilized. Often, much of the incredible knowledge that these places possess is kept in outdated systems, completely analog with no backups, or being safeguarded by one or two individuals who maintain entire databases that only they know how to access or upkeep. This is why I created Curating Collections.
I have had the unique opportunity to work for 7 different historic sites in varying capacities. I have worked for the federal government, multiple state governments, and non-profits, all dedicated to protecting historic sites. I have been involved in archiving, collections management, public programming, education, and digital history. As the Assistant Director of Education for the Virginia War Memorial, I had the opportunity to create events and programming centered around specific subjects and materials in the collection. While working as the German Village Society’s Historic Preservation Manager, I was in charge of maintaining and curating the archival collections. Each of my roles has pushed me to do what I can to make history exciting, relatable, and easy to get to.
Unfortunately, that can be a tall ask, especially for understaffed and under-resourced organizations who simply don’t have the ability to do it all. That is what drove me to consulting, a desire to help these organizations, without the added stress of needing to create another expensive full time employment position. Because history means so much to me, my desire to connect people to their shared heritage and open accessibility to that story runs deep. I want to see the unique stories of individual communities continue to inspire generations and educate individuals. Without accessibility to archives and collections, and a connection to the local community, these incredible resources are at a risk of being lost. I specialize in helping institutions that might not have full museum staff dedicated to their collections.
Curating Collections offers services to help museums and historical organizations get on a path to better accessibility and community engagement.
- Collections Assessment - I help organizations care for their collections by improving storage and organization, creating disaster preparedness plans, strengthening policies and procedures, and providing staff and volunteer training in archival best practices. I look at the specific needs of each organization when looking at the best way to help with collections management.
- Digital Archives - I support organizations in making their collections more accessible through metadata planning and digitization workflow development.
- Education and Outreach - I design engaging educational and public programs by creating archive-based lectures, collection-centered events, school group collaborations, and structured internship opportunities. I look at the specific collections of each organization to create programming that is unique to each site.
- Exhibit Development - I develop exhibits and displays for a variety of institutions for any number of reasons. From permanent or temporary installations to special events and anniversary celebrations, these exhibits showcase collections and organizational history.
- Independent Research - I research and document history through company timelines, American genealogy projects, and independent historical topics.
The goal behind this blog is to provide resources for organizations and individuals looking for information about managing or utilizing their collections. I will be sharing some how-to tips, checklists, behind the scenes, and think pieces to help curate information. I will be posting here every other week. So if you are a museum or historic site director, archivist, volunteer with historical organizations, or a collector, be sure to follow along. Over time, you’ll get tools and insights so your collections are better cared for, more accessible, and more meaningful.
Whether you are caring for a museum collection, an archive, a personal collection, or family history, I want this to be a resource to help you feel supported and prepared. In the weeks ahead, I will be covering what makes a collection, how you can protect it, and what it means to connect that collection to a community. I will be announcing my new client openings soon, so make sure you sign up for the waitlist so you don’t miss out!
Check out the Services page here on my website to get more detail into what I offer and what I could do for you. Please feel free to reach out! My email can be found on the Contact page, and I would love to set up a consultation. No collection is too small for the proper care and preservation offered by Curating Collections. If you know someone who might find these services useful, pass this along. You never know who might be looking for some help with their collections.
I am really looking forward to jumping into the world of museums, historic sites, and personal collections with the tools and expertise to really make a difference. I am excited to get to know you and share ways that we can encourage accessibility and passion about our unique histories.
- Crystal Cziryak, Collections Consultant