Objects
Artifacts & material culture
Tools, clothing, household goods, military equipment, and other objects can show how people lived and worked.
Museum Collections
Objects are evidence with a past of their own.
A museum collection can include household objects, tools, uniforms, photographs, maps, oral histories, and natural specimens. Each item has a chain of custody and a story about how it was made, used, collected, and interpreted.
Look closely
Start with the object, then ask who preserved it.
Object research begins with observation: materials, wear, maker’s marks, dimensions, and repairs. Catalog records can add dates, locations, donors, and use—but a record may also be incomplete or shaped by past collecting practices. Treat the label as a research lead, not the whole story.
Photographs and documents can be cross-checked with oral histories or site records. Together, these sources help explain how an object moved from daily life into a public collection.
Browse by source type
What can a collection contain?
Filter these introductory cards or search by a keyword to find a useful starting point.
Records
Letters, maps & field notes
Written records preserve decisions and observations, while maps show how people described and used a place.
Images
Photographs & historic plans
Visual records document people and places, but always need dates, captions, and source context.
Voices
Oral histories & interviews
Recorded memories preserve personal knowledge. Interview context and consent are part of responsible use.
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