<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <p>On rainy weekends, my mom would say, "Let's go visit Boomer." With big, wise eyes and a grumpy mouth, Boomer the Queensland Grouper was a key part of every visit to our local science museum. Because of our visits to Boomer's large aquarium, I know what it's like to <em>love</em> something in a museum and to make a tradition of visiting it. So I know how our visitors feel when they come to this museum and the thing that they <em>love</em> isn't on display.</p><p>As <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/connect" target="_blank">social media</a> manager, I sometimes hear from visitors who are disappointed that the <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/2013/07/what-is-it-about-the-puffy-shirt.html" target="_blank">puffy shirt</a> from <em>Seinfeld,</em> the <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_682754" target="_blank">script</a> from <em>The Wizard of Oz,</em> or Fonzie's <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/nationalmuseumofamericanhistory/5303576747/in/photolist-95EdAp" target="_blank">jacket</a> aren't on display. Museums are places we visit to connect with our memories of the past, and we know how disappointing it can be when a favorite object isn't here to greet you. In the spirit of transparency, I want to share a few reasons why your favorite thing may not be on view as well as a few tips on how to get the most out of your visit.</p><p><a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_670130" target="_blank"><img alt="Two shoes with bow-shaped decorations covered in red sequins" class="auto-caption media-image img__fid__17825 img__view_mode__media_large attr__format__media_large" rel="lightbox" src="https://americanhistory.si.edu/sites/default/files/styles/blog_image/public/NMAH-2001-3147.jpg?itok=1zbJa7xo" style="width: 550px; height: 437px;" title="The Ruby Slippers worn by Judy Garland in "The Wizard of Oz" are a must-see for many of our visitors."></a></p><p><strong>Most of museums' stuff is in storage</strong> <br>Museums have much larger collections than they have space to display. Do you really want to see <em>every single example</em> of a single butterfly species from the National Museum of Natural History's collection? Probably not, unless you're a researcher. According to a <a href="http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20150123-7-masterpieces-you-cant-see" target="_blank">BBC article</a>, the Louvre shows eight percent of its collection. Space limitations and conservation concerns make it even more important for Smithsonian museums to digitize our collections so you can <a href="http://collections.si.edu/search/" target="_blank">explore them online</a>.</p><p><strong>We display more objects online than we do in our building</strong> <br>Our Information Desk volunteers and Museum Ambassadors often hear from visitors who come to the museum hoping to see an object they spotted on our website or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/americanhistory" target="_blank">Facebook</a> page. <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections" target="_blank">Sharing our collections online</a> is an important part of our mission and we'll continue to do our best to communicate what's on display and what’s not.</p><p><strong>Change is good, even for a history museum</strong><br>We love that families visit the museum again and again to re-connect with favorite exhibitions, but we can't stay static. To be a place where memories are made, we have to provide an excellent visitor experience. This means <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/2014/07/where-do-we-go-from-here-the-life-and-times-of-temporary-exhibitions.html" target="_blank">closing exhibitions to make way for new ones</a>, revamping programming to meet evolving educational needs, and rotating content to represent the diverse stories of American history.</p><p><a href="americanhistory.si.edu/blog/2014/07/where-do-we-go-from-here-the-life-and-times-of-temporary-exhibitions.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Young woman wearing blue gloves gets ready to remove a Girl Scout uniform from a display" class="auto-caption media-image img__fid__17826 img__view_mode__media_large attr__format__media_large" rel="lightbox" src="https://americanhistory.si.edu/sites/default/files/styles/blog_image/public/Girl_Scouts_display.jpg?itok=jpq4LMKk" style="width: 550px; height: 367px;" title="Removing objects from a temporary exhibition on the history of Girl Scouts"></a></p><p><strong>Display is great for visitors, not so great for objects</strong><br>When I got my first museum job, I was surprised to learn how damaging light can be. Textiles, documents, and most museum artifacts are irreversibly affected by light. We take measures to protect objects from light damage, carefully controlling the length and intensity of exposure. This means that many objects can only be displayed for a limited time in order to protect them from damage.</p><p><strong>Rotating objects isn't easy</strong><br>When a 1960s dress was too sensitive to stay on display for the length of a recent exhibition, curators and conservators collaborated to identify other dresses that could be displayed on rotation. This minimized light exposure and allowed visitors to see more of our collections. But there are only so many people on staff who have the specialized skills to manage rotations across our many exhibitions, and some one-of-a-kind objects don't have a back-up.</p><p><a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_1006722" target="_blank"><img alt="Photo of a dress with a pattern of Campbell's soup labels in white and red" class="auto-caption media-image img__fid__17827 img__view_mode__media_large attr__format__media_large" rel="lightbox" src="https://americanhistory.si.edu/sites/default/files/styles/blog_image/public/NMAH-RWS2014-02291.jpg?itok=zOHFOH4B" style="width: 414px; height: 550px;" title="Sensitive to light, "The Souper" paper dress from the 1960s was on temporary display"></a></p><p><strong>Building a new exhibition for objects takes time</strong> <br>Until Exhibition Development 101 in graduate school, I didn't realize exhibition building is as complicated as producing a Hollywood movie. Creating storylines, scripts, casting plans, and audiovisual content takes time. The gap between closing one exhibition and opening another can feel long. We recommend you <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/exhibitions/onview" target="_blank">check</a> exhibition closing dates to make sure you don't miss out. And remember, our <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/exhibitions/online" target="_blank">online exhibitions</a> and <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object-groups" target="_blank">object groups</a> make objects available online, whether they're on display physically or not.</p><p><strong>Objects that join our collection usually aren't displayed right away</strong><br>We're constantly collecting. For example, our political history curators are <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/collecting-political-history-iowa-caucus-national-conventions" target="_blank">on the campaign trail</a> tracking down objects representative of the presidential race. Objects must be processed before they're eligible for display, so you may hear that we <em>acquired</em> something, but that typically doesn't mean we can put it on display right away.</p><p><a href="http://3d.si.edu/tour/gunboat-philadelphia-overview" target="_blank"><img alt="3D model of a boat with orange spots where the user can click for more info" class="auto-caption media-image img__fid__17828 img__view_mode__media_large attr__format__media_large" rel="lightbox" src="https://americanhistory.si.edu/sites/default/files/styles/blog_image/public/Gunboat_Philadelphia.JPG?itok=zR-wr-69" style="width: 550px; height: 363px;" title="Making objects available online is an important part of our mission. For example, you can take a 3D tour the Gunboat Philadelphia without coming to Washington, D.C. Or you can see the gunboat here in person and take a closer look online later."></a></p><p><strong>Displaying objects is only part of our job</strong> <br>The Smithsonian's collections belong to the nation—you trust us to take good care of them, which includes preservation, research, and educational outreach. "The increase and diffusion of knowledge" is our <a href="http://www.si.edu/About/Mission" target="_blank">mission</a> and we carry it out in a variety of ways. Visiting us in Washington, D.C., is a great way to learn about history, but we also publish books and blog posts, showcase objects on the <a href="http://www.smithsonianchannel.com/shows/star-spangled-story-a-battle-for-america/0/3407072" target="_blank">Smithsonian Channel</a>, present online and on-site educational programs, <a href="https://affiliations.si.edu/" target="_blank">lend objects</a> to Smithsonian Affiliate museums, and develop <a href="http://historyexplorer.si.edu/home/" target="_blank">resources for classrooms</a> around the country.</p><p>Now that you're fluent how museums work behind the scenes, here are some tips for your next visit:</p><ul><li>Subscribe to our <a href="http://americanhistory.us2.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=b40506315d18eee600463244c&id=a34a404ea6" target="_blank">newsletter</a> (or swing by our <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/visit" target="_blank">website</a> occasionally), for information on openings and closings.</li><li>Download our <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/visit/plan-your-field-trip#self-guides" target="_blank">self-guides</a>, especially if you're visiting with young people.</li><li>Get in touch <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/connect" target="_blank">on social media</a>. I'll be happy to answer your questions!</li><li>Our <a href="https://twitter.com/explorehistory" target="_blank">History Explorer</a> team can provide great advice on which exhibitions are best for students or teens.</li><li>Read our blog posts with tips on <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/2014/04/helping-kids-fall-in-love-with-non-interactive-museum-exhibitions.html" target="_blank">bringing kids to museums</a>.</li><li>To cover a lot of ground, visit on a quiet day (Tuesdays and Wednesdays are a good bet) or outside of tourist season (fall and winter are great times to visit).</li><li>Get through security and into the museum quicker by traveling light and familiarizing yourself with our security <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/visit/security" target="_blank">policies</a>. </li><li>Check our <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/events" target="_blank">calendar</a> for programs to enhance your trip.</li><li>Once here, stop by our second floor <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/visit" target="_blank">Welcome Center</a>, where knowledgeable volunteers will help you plan your visit or point you towards the next Highlights Tour. </li><li>Look for our <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/volunteer-museum-ambassadors-make-all-our-visitors-vips" target="_blank">Museum Ambassodors</a> in blue shirts. They're here to help you enjoy all the museum has to offer. </li></ul><p><em>Erin Blasco is an education specialist in the museum's New Media Department.</em></p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-related-user field-type-user-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Related Staff Member: </div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/users/blascoe">BlascoE</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-posted-date field-type-datetime field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Posted Date: </div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">Tuesday, April 12, 2016 - 08:00</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Categories: </h3><ul class="links"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/blog-tags/teaching-learning">Teaching & Learning</a></li></ul></div><div id="disqus_thread"><noscript><p><a href="http://amhistorymuseum.disqus.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Famericanhistory.si.edu%2Fblog%2Fwhy-isnt-my-favorite-artifact-display">View the discussion thread.</a></p></noscript></div><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OSayCanYouSee?a=mJCfdVaPowM:P2-zz5ZQBrw:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OSayCanYouSee?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OSayCanYouSee?a=mJCfdVaPowM:P2-zz5ZQBrw:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OSayCanYouSee?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OSayCanYouSee?a=mJCfdVaPowM:P2-zz5ZQBrw:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OSayCanYouSee?i=mJCfdVaPowM:P2-zz5ZQBrw:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OSayCanYouSee?a=mJCfdVaPowM:P2-zz5ZQBrw:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OSayCanYouSee?i=mJCfdVaPowM:P2-zz5ZQBrw:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OSayCanYouSee?a=mJCfdVaPowM:P2-zz5ZQBrw:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OSayCanYouSee?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/OSayCanYouSee/~4/mJCfdVaPowM" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>
