Preserving Some Treasures

Last Tuesday, 18 interns and fellows participated in a behind-the-scenes tour of the National Museum of American History’s Preservation Labs.

Conservators gave in-depth explanations of the tedious process of conservation and preservation of historical costumes, textiles, paper, and objects, while showing some incredible items up close and personal; such as Thomas Jefferson’s bible, William Tecumseh Sherman’s flag, Paul Newman’s suit, and the Red River Wagon.

Thank you to the head of Preservation Services, Richard Barden, for guiding the tour and Katie Lauricella for coordinating the event. A very special thank you to the Conservators for the intriguing peak into the essential world of conservation. Conservators who presented include: Sunae Park Evans (Costume), Suzanne Thomassen-Krauss (Textile), Janice Ellis (Paper), and Beth Richwine (Object).