Date: Sunday, November 15
Session 1: 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Session 2: 12:45 to 1:45 pm
Session 3: 2:00 to 3:00 pm
Location: The Litchfield History Museum (7 South Street)
Members: $15 per session or $35 for entire day
Non-Members: $20 per session or $45 for entire day
Registration Required
Have you ever wondered how to best preserve family heirlooms entrusted to your care?
From old photographs and family Bibles to antique furniture and prom dresses, many of us have items in our home that hold special meaning and we want to preserve. Join a panel of experts for a hands-on mini symposium exploring how to care for these items. Learn how to handle, store, and care for your items through demonstrations and practical advice. Each session will focus on a different category – archives, textiles, and objects.
11:00-12:00 - Session 1: Archives
From correspondence to photographs to scrapbooks, this session will walk participants through how our archival materials age and how to identify, handle, store, and preserve them for long-term access. The conversation will also guide participants through taking care of digital collections and materials.
Presenter: Evan McDonagh (she/they) has an M.A. in history and has served as the archivist for the Litchfield Historical Society for the past two years, caring for the LHS's archival and rare book collections.
12:45-1:45 - Session 2: Clothing and Textiles
Ever wonder what to do with all the textiles left to you as the family historian? Learn about home-friendly ways to care for, store, and display your textiles, while enjoying them and saving them for future generations.
Presenter: Karen DePauw is a fashion and textile historian. She has spent nearly 20 years working with organizations and individuals on caring for their textile collections. She has written two books, including "The Care and Display of Historic Clothing" in 2016.
2:00 – 3:00 – Sesson 3: Objects
Continue the day to learn how to care for objects in your home. Furniture, artwork, and toys are just a few categories we’ll dive into, as well as how to research these items. We will examine LHS collections to find out how to handle, clean, and store these objects for years to come. Special attention will be paid to no cost materials and tips!
Presenter: Nicole serves as Curator at the Litchfield Historical Society, where she cares for a collection of nearly 21,000 objects. She brings more than a decade of museum experience and an M.A. in museum studies to her work.
Held at the Litchfield History Museum (7 South Street, Litchfield CT.) Participants can join for the whole day or just one session. Participants are encouraged to bring lunch. Tea and refreshments provided.
