Portfolio
Welcome to "the Frontier's" working portfolio. A completed photo essay about behind-the-scenes work in museums and what it takes to prepare a collection for public view is highlighted here.
Jordan Davis finishes wiping the plexiglass off with a non-treated cleaning cloth before he and Sam Hanna close the case back up and place the joint locks on for security of the collection while on display later in the morning of November 10, 2021. Certain artifacts made of hide, paper, or cloth are placed under plexiglass hoods for added protection from the elements. (Photo by Kim Zierlein)
The work that takes place for the vast number of artifacts at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West (BBCW) starts each morning, Monday through Friday, with Jordan Davis collectively planning collections maintenance and care for the team. On November 9, 2021 the team heads down one of the two freight elevators in the building to the below ground vaults to access collections storage for today's work. (Photo by Kim Zierlein)
Greta Russell, lead registrar for the BBCW, works on finalizing documentation for the movement of objects within the building after Jordan's team is finished installing new exhibits or condition reporting artifacts. Beneath ground, over 75% of the Buffalo Bill Center of the West's acquisitions are housed in secure vaults when not on display for security and insurance purposes. This is the final step in artifact conservation at the Center. (Photo by Kim Zierlein)
Jordan Davis finishes wiping the plexiglass off with a non-treated cleaning cloth before he and Sam Hanna close the case back up and place the joint locks on for security of the collection while on display later in the morning of November 10, 2021. Certain artifacts made of hide, paper, or cloth are placed under plexiglass hoods for added protection from the elements. (Photo by Kim Zierlein)
Photo Essay Project
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Collections maintenance is an intriguing, behind-the-scenes world that requires initiative to establish the displays and upkeep in museums worldwide; the Buffalo Bill Center of the West is always working tirelessly to maintain collections and create an amazing experience for the visitor to appreciate history on an intimate level. This is an amazing untold story at the Center of the West. The team consists of five full-time staff members who manage and care for five museum collections in this 7-acre complex. People often wonder how many collections are on display. Jordan Davis, collections manager, has communicated that the museum only displays approximately a third of what is in a repository at any given time. It is interesting in knowing the size of the collection and is understandable the massive undertaking it is to prep just one item of thousands for showcase time upstairs.
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By Kim Stambaugh
