Salvaging Family Heirlooms and Memorabilia

Our hearts go out to anyone affected by Hurricane Fiona. Here are some tips from our Conservator, Miki Lee, for salvaging family heirlooms and memorabilia:

You can save more items than you realize - journals, photographs, paper items, clothing, metals, recordings (tapes, cassettes, film) etc.

Wet paper is flimsy. Avoid handling it by carefully sliding something flat underneath it, like Tupperware, old election signs, cookie tray, etc.

If it can’t be dried easily (like a single piece of paper) or it’s sopping wet, put the supported items in a plastic bag, seal it up (tie or tape) and put it in a freezer. It can sit there until things calm down and we can walk you through the next steps.

Salvage at a glance: Paper-based collections
https://www.nps.gov/museum/publications/conserveogram/21-04.pdf

Salvage at a glance: NNon-paper-basedcollections
https://www.nps.gov/museum/publications/conserveogram/21-05.pdf