Family Tree

On Exhibit

You don’t have to be a genealogist to love heirlooms. But if you’re the keeper of your family’s stories and history, you probably also oversee your family’s photos, documents and memorabilia.

As the family archivist, you may have conscientiously organized and preserved materials in acid-free archival storage files and boxes. You may have even scanned many items and carefully backed up your digital files.

But you’re not finished yet. Keepsakes are the material objects that hold the memories of family stories. And family stories are meant to be shared.

A vintage bottle of cologne is a memory of Grandma dressed for church with her hat and gloves. An old baseball glove might be scuffed and cracked, but it still holds memories of playing catch with your dad and brother before dinner.

Your home may not be a museum. But it’s possible to safely display and enjoy family heirlooms as part of your daily life. In this article, we’ll discuss how to display your heirlooms—and what to consider when deciding if it’s safe to display certain items

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