BUSY AS BEES

Museum staff hopping during covid-19 closure

Don’t ask Director Allyn Lord what’s been happening at the Shiloh Museum during the coronavirus closure. She’ll give you a list longer than anyone would think could possibly have been accomplished since March 16.

Here’s the short version:

• Renovations to the museum’s buildings and its grounds.

• Creation of policies and protocols in anticipation of reopening.

• Was a shooting location for a local film company, and she hopes they’ll show the film at the museum next spring.

• Held two summer history camps virtually, with more than 100 participants, some even from out-of-state.

• Installed two new exhibits, “Make Do,” about recycling and upcycling, and the photo exhibit “Queen for a Day,” both available in their entirety online.

• Created online workshops, including one on making historic hand muffs.

• Created “Shiloh Shout-Outs,” short videos featuring behindthe-scenes looks at the museum, history topics, collection show-and-tells, museum facilities and more on the museum’s YouTube channel.

• Created “Minute History,” a new series of short audio-visual presentations on topics such as Evergreen Cemetery, Fitzgerald Station and the Mrs. Young Building, also on the museum’s YouTube channel.

• Converted the monthly “Shiloh Sandwiched-In” talks to virtual presentations, available online 24/7. • Continued to expand and add content to the website, ShilohMuseum.org, including some home movies, and to scan and post many historic photos from the collections on the museum’s Facebook page.

• Continued to assist an increased number of people working on genealogy and other research projects.

• Transcribed newspaper articles and columns and collection items such as letters, diaries and journals to make them digitally searchable.

• Been proactively collecting objects and photographing Northwest Arkansas and how covid-19 has impacted the region.

• Moved the bulk of collections from the Shiloh Meeting Hall to storage, in preparation for new exhibits there.

• Accepted and cataloged a variety of new donations.

• Planned the annual Ozark Quilt Fair in September, which will be virtual this year.

• And created a “Message to the Community” in response to Black Lives Matter and other protests against inequality. Lord says look for a new initiative on diversity, equity and inclusion in the near future.

The museum will reopen when both Lord and the community feel safe with the idea, she says, but in the meantime, the museum will be offering its usual engagement with students through virtual field trips. More information is available at 750-8165 or at ShilohMuseum.org.