Storytelling & Community
A core tenet of Active Collections is that all objects in your collection should be serving the mission of your organization. For many local historical societies and small local museums, the mission may be to preserve and share the history of a particular town or region. Telling the stories of the people who have lived in your town over the years and finding ways to connect your town's history to your current community is essential.
What stories do your objects tell?
Objects can act as important touchstones to history; how might you make more of your collections available to the public? You may engage your community through exhibits or events. Think about what objects you have that are in good condition for display or which objects may illustrate specific aspects of life during a particular era in your region's history. A completed inventory and fully tiered collection will make this easier, but you can get started at any stage in your Active Collections journey with thinking of the most meaningful stories you know from your town's history and what objects might illustrate these stories.
How does your community engage with your objects?
Local historical society collections can also engage community members who are interested in researching their family history or a special event in the town's history. Moving deaccessioned duplicates or easily replaceable objects into an education collection, for example, can allow the opportunity for hands-on experiences for young students and adults alike. Consider all of the possibilities as you decide how your collection objects can help your organization serve its community and tell engaging stories.
Explore the resources at the bottom of this page for more on how to use your collections to tell important stories and connect to the communities you serve.
