While the nation struggles to properly face the novel coronavirus pandemic, it can be strange to think ahead to a time when we’re ready to actually see it at a distance and study it. For museum curators, however, that question is an important one as we’re actually living during a global pandemic. As WAMU first reported, for example, the Smithsonian museums are starting a coronavirus collection project. The Smithsonians are the public museums located in Washington, D.C., and in this case include the National Museum of American History, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the Anacostia Community Museum.
“Many people throw away objects that we in the museum would be interested in,” Alexandra Lord, the chair of the American History Museum’s medicine and science division, told the local outlet in an interview. What sort of objects? Homemade masks are a particular interest, as is anything used as storage. Even virtual information, like screenshots, could be useful for historians.
Director Melanie Adams of the Anacostia Community Museum tells the outlet their initial focus will be on getting oral histories from people, and especially marginalized communities such as Black and Latino Washingtonians. “Three, five, 10 years from now, we really don’t want the human impact of this story to get lost,” she stated to WAMU.
Of course, people aren’t being asked to donate the objects right now because of obvious safety concerns, but the museums are asking people to hold onto them for the future. Luckily, museums across the country are asking for not only physical objects but personal stories, too.
“We want to give people an opportunity to add their experiences to the historical record, demonstrating that no matter how large or small the impact this has had on our lives, it’s all part of our collective history," Bartow History Museum Director Trey Gaines, who is also collecting oral histories for the museum in Georgia, told The Daily Tribune News. She added that they wanted to include “stories, memories and physical reminders that represent lives of doctors, nurses, business owners, employees, families, teachers, students, religious, civic and government leaders.”
Pamela Schwartz, the chief curator of the Orange County Regional History Center in Florida, also encouraged people to offer their personal experiences. “From daily life at home or helping children with digital learning, to being quarantined on a cruise ship or actually surviving the virus,” she called for in a news release.
Of course, when it comes to the novel coronavirus, many people immediately think of the very limited personal protective equipment, or even medical equipment, like ventilators. While that’s desirable for future exhibits, it’s far from an ask right now.
“The last thing we want to do right now is say, ‘There’s a shortage of ventilators; put one aside for us,’” Lord told Atlas Obscura.
What would you expect to see in an exhibit on the novel coronavirus pandemic?