09/29/2026
Members of the Chicago Cultural Alliance came together once again for our recurring Archives Crawl program. We are grateful to CCA Partner Member the Field Museum for hosting our latest Archives Crawl on September 15.
A special thank you to Jamie Kelly, Anthropology Collections Manager, and Elizabeth McKinley, Library Director, for giving us an incredible behind-the-scenes tour of the library archives, Anthropology Records Room, New Acquisitions Work Room, and the Anthropology Collection storage spaces. Throughout the visit, we discovered remarkable collections while also discussing many of the challenges and areas of interest shared by cultural organizations and collections of all sizes.
Our visit began in the library, where we viewed special archival materials and met members of the archives team, who shared stories about the history of the collections. We saw fascinating materials documenting the creation of the Field Museum’s iconic dioramas and got a glimpse into the museum’s extensive photo archives. Highlights included clicking through historic photographs on an antique stereoscopic viewer, seeing Darwin’s handwriting, and looking at beautiful historic prints. We also learned about the Field’s public online portal, which makes portions of the collection accessible beyond the museum.
One of the biggest takeaways from the day was that collections care is deeply collaborative. We met registrars, conservators, archivists, and other specialized staff and heard about the many people involved in caring for objects and their stories. We also discussed practical topics such as disaster preparedness, including simple tools that museums of any size can have on hand to be better prepared for an emergency.
That spirit of collaboration extends beyond the walls of the Field. We learned about community collaborations, contemporary commissions and collecting, and efforts to return items to communities through repatriation and the Going Home Fund. Members were especially interested to learn more about how the Field works with cultural organizations through loans, collections support, and conversations about how and where objects are seen. We were also surprised to learn that the Field is actively collecting today, particularly objects that tell contemporary stories and strengthen connections with communities.
Our final stop in collection storage was unforgettable, filled with large and ancient artifacts and stories not only about the objects themselves, but also about the people who care for them. Even photographs of staff members working with objects were preserved alongside the collections. It was a wonderful reminder that objects hold stories, but so do the people who care for them and the communities who engage with them.
It was an extraordinary day at the Field Museum, and we are grateful to everyone who welcomed us and shared their expertise.
