What happens to my donated item?
- Each item is written into the donation log book.
- The Collection Committee, which meets six times a year to discuss donations, determines if we want to keep an item or return it.
- Each kept item is given an accession number; e.g., "11.7.3," where "11" stands for the year donated 2011, "7" stands for the seventh donation given in 2011 and "3" stands for the third item in a group of donations. This number is attached to each donated item. Each item is looked at, measure and quality determined.
- If an item goes with a current display it will be added to that display.
- Otherwise, it is stored in an acid free box to preserve it until an appropriate display goes up that the item could go in.
- Items are stored in one of our four buildings. Three of our buildings are temperature and humidity controlled to protect the artifacts - two display buildings and a storage building. Item cards are made out for every item in a donation to show its location; e.g., "3-16-4-3" (building 3, section 16, shelf 4, box 3).
- Donor cards also made out; a donor card lists all items given by a specific person.
- Each item is also listed in our computer.
- A thank-you letter is mailed to the donor.
What happens when an item or group of items is donated?
Museum Holdings
The museum holdings include costumes and textiles, decorative arts, Native American artifacts and archaeological material, political memorabilia, military acts, and domestic artifacts reflecting upon life in Aitkin County. The diverse collection serves as the foundation for the Aitkin County Historical Society exhibition program.
Library Holdings
Library holdings include, but are not limited to, books, newspapers, periodicals, pamphlets, maps, diaries, census data, brochures and ephemera in all formats/media including microfilms and video tapes.
Special Collections
Special Collections may also include manuscripts, archives, photographic materials, prints, broadsides, scrapbooks, maps, architectural and engineering drawings, and paper ephemera relating to the history of Aitkin County and its people. Ideally, artifacts should be stable and in good condition, and ACHS must be able to provide adequate care for it as determined by established professional standards.