What’s in the Mystery Box? Common Collection Conundrums
Envision yourself as a newly hired
collection manager of a small museum.
You are walking to your workspace and
find a mysterious box on your desk. As
you begin to examine the box, you notice
there is no indication of who brought it,
and all that you see is a post-it note
affixed to the top with “DONATION”
written in large red letters. You open the
box, and find numerous objects thrown
together. Photographs, textiles, wooden
objects, and ceramics can all be seen,
and you realize it is up to you to figure
out what to do with these objects. So,
what’s the first step?
...Find out, by attending the hands-on skill clinic,
What’s in the Mystery Box? Common Collection Conundrums
Museums and historical societies often have team members who aren't completely up to speed on the do's
and dont’s of basic collections care. Jennifer Souers Chevraux, education and outreach officer for the
Intermuseum Conservation Association (ICA), can help get you and your team on the same best-practices
page. This skill clinic will walk you through the process of handling a “mystery box” step-by step, and review
topics such as, condition reporting, identification of materials, cleaning techniques, proper storage and longterm care of your collections, agents of deterioration, and the science behind preservation practices.
This skill clinic on care and handling basics is designed for students, museum staff and volunteers, and
members of the general public.
Reservations are required for this skill clinic. The max amount of students will be 15, so make sure you
reserve a spot!
WHEN: January 20, 12:00pm - 5:00pm COST: $25 per person LOCATION: MuseLab
For more information, please contact: kflatham@kent.edu
This educational program is provided in part through generous support from:
Instructor’s Bio: Jennifer Souers Chevraux, Education Outreach Officer at ICAArt Conservation, has 20 years of experience in the museum field, serving as
curator, exhibits director, educator, board member, and recently as President
of the Ohio Museums Association. Jennifer’s primary objective is to ensure the
preservation of artistic and historic works in Cleveland and across the state
through educational programming, public outreach, and advocacy for the
importance of saving our shared cultural heritage for generations to come.