Archival FAQ

It is hot out! The Harrison House is no exception . . .

Life in museums can be tough!

But technically, our “curator cat” Frankie is resting in front of some archives—not exactly a museum exhibit. What’s the whole deal with museums and archives anyway? Today, we have a handy FAQ:

• Is there a difference between a museum and an archive?

  • Yes! A museum is for historic objects, places, or exhibits, while an archive is specifically for historic documentation. A museum will probably house an archive, but an archive can also be its own institution—it might even have a little museum exhibit for visitors to see. Confused yet? Think of it in terms of landmarks: things like the Natural History Museum vs. the Library of Congress.

• So, what exactly goes in an archive?

  • In general, paper and paper-adjacent records: letters, forms, books, maps, artwork, pictures, brochures, newspapers, magazines, and so on.

• Can you have an archive anywhere?

  • Sure—some archives are huge and official, like the National Archives, while some might be the collected papers of one small group or family. The main thing is to keep the documents together and safe: special archival boxes, folders, envelopes, labels, and anything else you may need can be found online. These help protect documents from damage or chemical leakage over time.

• What do you do with archival materials you don’t want to keep?

  • Check with organizations that might be related to the documents. If they are old land deeds and town forms, for example, a local historical society might be interested in them. You may have to ask around: while many museums and archives want to help preserve these things, many also have very limited room and funding, so they have to be particular about what they take in.

Have other questions? Let us know, and we may do a Round Two post in the future!