Montana Historical Society
September 2024 - May 2025
Collections Intern
Supervised by senior registrar Kendra Newhall and conservator Heather Doyle, I assisted with many projects across the museum program. I assisted with the move of the entire collection of over 60,000 objects into new storage. I also assisted with preparing objects for exhibit, cataloguing acquisitions, processing loans, and managing files. My experience built a strong foundational understanding of museum functions, collections management, and the management of large scale projects.
Selected Work
Collection Move
During my time at MTHS, the entire collection of over 60,000 object was moved out of the original building and into new storage. I assisted with training addtional workers to help with the move, and was a team lead during the moving process.
Unpacking and Rehousing
After the collection had been moved to new storage, we began unpacking the collection. Objects in need of new housing were rehoused during this process.
Large-scale Object Moves
Several vehicles and other large objects in the collection needed to be moved due to renovations. I observed these moves, assisted in documenting the moves, and helped where needed.
Preparation for Exhibit
I assisted with the preparation of objects for exhibit, including cleaning and rust abatement.
Lead Corrosion
Flaking lead corrosion was found on bullets on a Winchester display of bullets and casings. To ensure the safety of anyone moving this object, I assessed the object and removed lead corrosion.
Collection Move
I began working at the Montana Historical Society at the culmination of five years of preparation for the move of the entire collection. Overseen by senior registrar Kendra Newhall, the collection was being moved out of the original museum building into the adjoining, newly-built expansion which included new storage areas.
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The size of the project and time constraints necessitated bringing additional members of staff into the project, who do not usually handle objects in the collection. To assist with the training of these staff members in proper object handling, I wrote a introductory guide to safe object handling and moving. This helped to mitigate unecessary risk to objects during the move.
The move consisted of two major parts: moving palletized objects from the original building to the addition and into new storage, and de-palletizing boxes of objects, shelving them, and recording their new location. Staff was split into teams of 3-4 workers each with a leader from the museum team. I primarily worked as a team lead de-palletizing, shelving objects, and recording locations. After this process was complete, I worked to update the locations of objects in PastPerfect Museum Software.
Objects (framed artworks) de-palletized into storage
Palletized objects in original building prepared for move
Unpacking and Rehousing
Once the move into new storage was complete, boxes of objects needed to be unpacked, and the collection shelved. This involved planning the organization and layout of storage, unpacking the collections, safely shelving the collection in categories, and updating locations.
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As we worked through unpacking the collection, items in need of new housing were addressed. I rehoused the pocket watch collection of over 300 items. These objects were largely in the makeshift housing in which they were delivered to the museum. To ensure their preservation, I rehoused the collection into archival materials and reorganized them to be easily accessible. They were organized into subdivided archival boxes, padded with tissue, and clearly labeled.
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I unpacked and organized various sections of the collection, including the basket collection and camera collection. Items were unpacked, placed on shelves with any necessary padding, and relabeled as necessary to ensure items were tracked properly.
Objects from camera collection unpacked from boxes and ready to be re-labeled and shelved.
Miniature baskets included in the basket collection. Items were unpacked, relabeled if necessary, and shelved before locations were updated in PastPerfect Museum Software.
Portion of pocket watch collection in new housing. New labels were included to minimize the need to handle the objects.
Large-scale Object Moves
As part of the collection move, large scale objects and vehicles needed to be moved out of the original building and into the addition. This included a large taxidermy piece, a tractor, a stagecoach, and a sheephearder wagon.
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Observing these moves, I learned about the planning, problem solving, and risk assessment necessary to move large and heavy objects. During each move, I assisted in documenting the move for future reference in case the objects need to be moved in the future. I also assisted where necessary, including spotting movers, clearing pathways, and occasionally physically helping move the objects.
Taxidermy Bison at temporary landing spot post-move
Starting at left: Stagecoach and sheephearder wagon in temporary landing spots post-move
Tractor at temporary landing spot post-move
Preparation for exhibit
The newly built addition to the museum building included all new gallery spaces for permanent and temporary exhibits. In preparation for these exhibits, many objects from the collection needed their condition recorded and some needed to have minor treatments to prepare them for display.
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Under the supervision of conservator Heather Doyle, I took on the preparation of some museum objects.
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As part of this effort, I conditioned and treated a 1908 Moldboard Plow. After documenting the objects condition, I treated and diminshed active rust using 50/50 ethanol-water solution, addressed a large stain using a glass bristle brush, and cleaned the object with soft brushes and a filtered vacuum.
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A team of myself and co-worker Nani Hodges worked on a large tractor to prepare it for exhibit. The tractor had been stored in an uncontrolled environment before being brought into the museum and was incredibly dirty, contained large amounts of dirt and foliage. After documenting the object's condition, we worked to remove debris, clean out dirt deposits, and address active rust.
Cleaning moldboard plow using glass bristle brush
Photo by Nani Hodges​
Cleaning tractor using soft brush and filtered vacuum
Photo by Nani Hodges​
Lead Corrosion
When preparing to move objects, flaking, powdery lead corrosion was found on the lead bullets included in a 19th century Winchester bullet and casing display. Before the object could be moved, the lead corrosion needed to be addressed to ensure the safety of those coming into contact with the object.
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After completing a thorough examination and documentation of the object, I removed the lead corrosion from the bullets using brushes and a filtered vacuum. Necesasry PPE was worn throughout the process, including nitrile gloves, and N-95 mask, a lab coat, and protective eyeware.
Full bullet display
Example of lead corrosion