Tribute to Small Museums

When I was a little girl, my mother took me to our local small museum which was in the basement of the local library. We walked down the aisles filled with the odd assortment of objets and memorabilia that are often displayed in such museums. We stopped in front of a large case, that had a woven coverlet draped in such a way, so the viewer would have the best look at it they could in the the small space it was consigned to. I remember my mom saying something like ” President Van Buren gave your Great,great, great grandfather this as a present, they were very good friends”. Now, this sparked two reactions in my young mind. That’s a lot of GREATS, and he must not have liked him that much cause that is one UGLY spread. The point of this little story is that had it not been for that small museum in that little town in West Virginia, I would have never gotten to see something that was a real link to the past, to MY past. I have, as do my ancestors, a small museum to thank for that.
There are people all over this country that have visited like museums and seen the proof of their ancestry on display , conserved , at various levels of expertise I’ll give you, but saved nonetheless . They walk through the doors and there is Uncle Joe’s WWI helmet and the letters filled with longing he sent home to his wife. Or the glove and parasol of someone you vaguely knew you are related too and as soon as you see it you are again determined to call your Great Aunt and not only ask those questions about the family you always wanted but you are also going to WRITE IT down. Thus a family written history is born.
We have the small museum director , its board, or if really lucky a curator to thank for this…They are dedicated professionals who work with little or no budjets and constantly fiight to preserve the tangible bits of our history that otherwise would just slip away. I recently attended the annual Small Museum Conference and observed some of the most talented and educated people in this profession grapple with the new challenges this economy has given them. Luckily for all of us, I heard enthusiasm and excitement from most, if not all of them that I spoke to. They remain focused, dedicated and determined to recommit, rethink and even redesign the small museums that we as the public entrust to their care. Please support you local small museum or local historical society, they are supporting you everyday in preserving our shared history.
Visit the Culpeper Museum of History. www.Culpepermuseum.com
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