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#AskACurator about the House Collection

by Art on September 26, 2016

What object in the House Collection is the most challenging to preserve? The answer might surprise you.

Questions about objects came all day long during the popular annual #AskACurator day on September 14, and @USHouseHistory was there to answer a few. Curious tweeters used the hashtag #AskACurator to pose questions to and elicit answers from curators in 408 museums in the United States, and thousands more around the globe. House Curator Farar Elliott spent an hour answering some of the queries.

Here are some of the most intriguing responses. Try matching the question to the response(s). Answers are at the bottom of the post:

1. What are your favorite #WW1 artifacts?
2. What do you think is the funniest item in your collection?
3. What’s the funniest nickname for an object?
4. If you had a time machine where in your institution’s history would you go?

A:

B:

C:

D:

Answers:

1. What are your favorite #WW1 artifacts? (C: Sevres vases given by France)
2. What do you think is the funniest item in your collection? (A: Possum in the stationery room)
3. What’s the funniest nickname for an object? (B: George Washington’s bling)
4. If you had a time machine where in your institution’s history would you go? (D: An artist paints in the House Chamber)

If you want to ask even more questions, mark your calendar for #AskAnArchivist Day on October 5, when House Archivist Robin Reeder will field questions about the official records of the House.

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Office of the Historian: history@mail.house.gov
Office of Art & Archives, Office of the Clerk: art@mail.house.gov, archives@mail.house.gov