In learning the ins and outs of how a museum is run there is something that most people outside the industry forget, the sorting, storing and classification of objects,photos and other sources within the museum. I assisted in putting away antiquities from an older instillation. Each object is given a code that is put into the software known as Past Perfect so that they can be found for future exhibits and properly stored. I found this to be very interesting as I know these codes vary from various museums. These codes vary but in the case of the Salem museum each object or photograph is sorted based on the donor, the number of item in which the item was donated. If a donor donated multiple items each item is given its own number. Finally the object is given its final number based on the date in which the object was donated. I found this probably more interesting than most interns would but I really enjoyed doing a reverse scavenger hunt in putting all of the materials back into their correct boxes and shelves.
I also did some research for the museum by looking into a 1955 local newspaper and getting various information depending on the topics I was instructed to gather information about. It felt overwhelming at first to dive into an actual book of newspapers from such a long time ago, I kept wondering if the individuals who were not much younger than myself then were alive today. I imagined talking to them as I went through the various months, wondering what it was like to be a high school senior in 1955. I also continued to look at the various newspaper adds as I continued researching and I found many quite funny compared to the adds of today.
