Protecting Wyoming's Past

How does the Wyoming State Museum preserve the state's artifacts?

A walk through the museum's exhibit galleries can raise some interesting questions. This online exhibit provides some answers.

Why is it so dark in the museum?

Light is extremely harmful to artifacts. The energy found in both natural and electric light causes molecules in an item to break down. Light levels in the museum are kept low in order to minimize this constant damage. Our goal is for the artifacts in our care today to be in nearly the same condition 500 years from now.

Fading Away to Nothing When the colors of an artifact fade or change color, it is a signal that severe

chemical changes, caused by light, are starting to destroy an object. The

photograph on the right is of a kimono worn by a Japanese doll from the 1920s. Once, it was all the color purple seen at the top of the photo. Exposure to light

caused the bottom to fade. A few more years of bright light would have caused

the object to turn almost white. There is no way to repair this damage.

Red to Pink One half of this once red sheet of paper was exposed to sunlight for three months. The damage done is obvious.

The Way the Newspaper Crumbles Light can also cause an artifact to become brittle. The front of this newspaper was exposed to direct light for just a few weeks. Its molecules have started to break down causing it to become brittle. Notice that the inside pages have had much less damage since they were not exposed to as much light.

Why is it cool in the galleries?

The temperature in the museum galleries and storage areas is kept at roughly 68 degrees Fahrenheit. The humidity is maintained at 40%. High temperatures with high humidity can cause mold and mildew to form on artifacts. Low humidity can cause wood, leather, ivory, and other materials to dry out and crack. If the temperature and humidity rise and fall over and over again, objects will expand and contract over and over causing them to fall apart.

A Tale of Two Paintings These two paintings were created by the same artist at roughly the same time in the late 1700s. For over 200 years, they have been subjected to heavy fluctuations in both temperature and humidity. This caused the canvas to wrinkle, split, and tear. The painting on the left was conserved in the 1980s to its original appearance. The painting on the right has yet to be treated.

Mold and Water Damage This photograph shows part of a print, signed by several state governors, that was placed in an office above a steam heat radiator. The high humidity and temperature caused mold and mildew to form. Moisture also damaged the paper in several places including the signature of one of the governors.

Why can't I bring my drink or snacks into the museum?

When you bring food and drink into a museum, small pieces dropped or spilled create a ready meal for the insects that may also come into the galleries. If insects find no food, they will leave or die. If food is available, they will stay, lay eggs, and possibly create an infestation. When the spilled food is eaten up, insects may then move to artifacts that provide a food source such as pieces made from leather or wood. Once an insect infestation gets started, it can devastate a collection and be very difficult to destroy.

Little Bug - Big Appetite The black dot in this photograph of a penny is a carpet beetle. A small number of these insects can destroy an artifact in just a few months.

Lost Forever The item above was once a Native American hair ornament that contained close to 30 feathers. It was destroyed by an insect infestation. The photograph to the right shows how the feathers would have looked prior to being eaten by pests.

It's No Small Problem Museum curators must protect artifacts from a large number of insects. Knowing which type of pest eats what type of material is very important. The museum is constantly monitored with traps so an infestation can be found and destroyed before it gets out of control.

Why can't I touch anything?

Handling an artifact is a quick way to destroy it. Many items in the museum are lucky to have survived long enough to be donated and have become quite fragile. An overeager touch can damage them beyond repair. In addition, your skin has a thin coating of oil and salt on it from sweat. This can leave a stain or corrode an item depending on the material of the piece.

Leaving Fingerprints

Museum curators handle objects

with white cotton or latex gloves.

This prevents harming the

artifacts with the oils, salts, and

dirt from their hands. If you look

closely at this silver piece, you will

see fingerprints etched into the

surface of the silver. They were

left long ago when someone

touched the object with sweaty,

bare hands. These fingerprints are

so deep they will not come out

with polishing.

Too Much Touching

This piece of pronghorn (antelope) hide and fur was once on the touch rail beside the museum's wildlife

diorama. As you can see, visitors have literally petted the fur off the hide, leaving behind an oily stain.

Similar negative effects would happen to any museum object if thousands of people were allowed to

touch it every year.

Why did you take my favorite artifact off exhibit?

One reason could be that it was found to be harming the artifacts around it. Wood, plastic, wax, and many other materials can give off fumes that will stain or damage whatever is near them. Curators monitor exhibits closely to ensure artifacts are not harming each other. Another reason for artifact removal could be that the artifact has become too fragile to remain on exhibit and is in danger of falling apart. In this case, the item will be repaired if possible. If repairs are not possible, the artifact will be placed in storage for use by researchers. Some artifacts are taken off exhibit to be cleaned. Treatments given to an item when it was in regular use can cause problems years later, and artifacts sometimes need to have salts or other chemicals removed to protect them for the future..

Fumes From a Buffalo Chip

This pink t-shirt and wax "buffalo chip" fire starter were stored together just prior to being

donated. In just a few months, fumes from the "buffalo chip" had seeped out of its bag and

stained the shirt lying under it. The "buffalo chip" was placed in a sealed plastic storage bag

when the stain was discovered. It then stained the storage bag.

Old and Brittle

As fabrics age, they become brittle and tear easily. This dress has shredded from its own weight

pulling on its storage hanger.

Not Good in the Long Term

Leather items, such these boots, waxed with saddle soap to "protect" them can have the salts

inside them leach to the surface years later.