Collection research, begun about four months ago, continues in preparation for creating exhibits for the new Chattanooga History Center on the Tennessee Aquarium Plaza. While the Center goes through the process of identifying and hiring an exhibit design firm, the labor-intensive and time consuming work of identifying objects with potential for exhibit is moving along. Curator of Collections, Marie Bourassa, assisted by three interns and two expert volunteers, is “sifting” through the Center’s large store of objects in a search for those particular items which will best illustrate the stories of Chattanooga’s past. “We have a great collection,” Bourassa said. Among her favorite finds, she said, are World War I and II Red Cross nurses’ uniforms. When asked why she was excited by them, she said, “They are really personal. They are stained, and I can imagine nurses saving lives while wearing those very uniforms. That’s pretty neat!” When asked about the educational value for interns working on this project, Bourassa said it is great. “It is an unusual opportunity,” she said. “We are looking at every single object in the collection, making decisions about what might be appealing to museum visitors. The interns are getting in depth expo-sure to an entire collection.” Bourassa said she expects the “sifting” phase of collection research to be completed in another month.
Intern, Mark Lutgen, and Marie Bourassa examine a 1950’s era women’s softball uniform under consideration for exhibit in the new History Center.
