I get to see the e-mail comments that come in from visitors of the Burke's main Web site, and I can tell you that many of them are from people who are seeking help in identifying or learning more about their collections or objects that they find.
Often, people are unsure of how to ask for our help, or whether they can at all. So here’s some useful info if you are thinking of contacting the Burke with an object question:
1. Make an appointment with the curator or collections manager of the Burke division that best fits your object.
- Found an arrowhead? Contact the folks in archaeology.
- Unsure about some folk art? Try the ethnology staff.
- Uncovered a fossil? Go to the paleontology crew.
(You can access the full Burke staff directory here. If you are not sure which division you need, the Burke’s reception staff can help you figure it out.)
2. If you cannot make an appointment, send photos and a complete description of the object and its background. Info like dimensions, color, and material is useful, as is a description of where/how the object was found. For artifacts and scientific specimens, it’s helpful to know about the natural setting of the origin site. The more we know, the better informed our responses can be.
3. We do not provide appraisals. Ever.
4. We will not take your objects away from you, but we can advise you on how to better care for them or what you can do with them if you do not wish to keep them.
For more object identification info, you can visit the FAQs found in the Burke’s collections homepages.
- Rebecca
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