Did you know...? Lexington Historical Society has more than 20,000 recorded items in its collections.
Did you know...? There are more than 60 flags in the collections, ranging from early 19th century American flags to WWI service flags to modern POW flags.
Did you know...? There are more than 3,500 books in the collections. One of the more interesting is a 1670 Greek-Latin dictionary that once belonged to John Hancock.
Did you know...? There are more than 60 paintings in the collections, including a particularly rare set of watercolor miniatures completed by Rufus Porter in the early 1800s of Robbins/ Stone/Simonds family members.
Did you know...? There are more than 6,000 photographs in the collections, including over 400 images of Lexington properties and landmarks (possibly including your house!).
Q: What does a collections manager do? A: Collections managers are trained to care for and make available to the public original three-dimensional materials (furniture, decorative arts, household goods, etc.). Look for our Collections Manager Stacey tonight if you want to know more!
Q: What does an archivist do? A: Archivists are trained in preserving, arranging, and describing original paper-based materials and making these items available for research and public access. Look for our Archives Manager Elizabeth tonight if you want to know more!
Q: Are records in the archives available online and how can I access them? A: Yes! LHS is in the early stages of making collections available for online viewing. Though not all items are currently available, you can take a look at lexingtonhistory.org/collections
Q: Do many items in the collections need conservation help? A: LHS collections contain a wide range of important and historic treasures, and many are in need of conservation and/or restoration. For more info, visit lexingtonhistory.org/ conservation
Q: Do you repair objects and archival materials in house? A: No, LHS utilizes the premier conservation companies in the region. Some of these are Northeast Document Conservation Center, Trefler s, Windsor Conservation, EverPresent, and Carmichael Art Conservation.
Q: Can I handle any objects or papers? A: Depending on the condition, fragility, and value of an item, we do often allow researchers to handle original items when possible. However, it s best to provide digital copies or scans to help preserve originals.
Q: I would like to volunteer. What tasks do volunteers do? A: Volunteers are very important! Due to the training involved, it s helpful if archival volunteers can commit to working weekly on regular tasks, such as scanning photos and entering data into our collections database.
Q: How can I do research? A: Appointments must be made to accommodate researchers. We are a small staff, so please allow two weeks for a response. To learn more about our policies, visit lexingtonhistory.org/doresearch
Q: Where are archival and collections materials stored now? A: Our archives are currently stored at Hancock-Clarke House, and our object collections have been consolidated at Munroe Tavern since its 2011 restoration. By Fall 2019, the majority of collections will all be stored here!
Q: Are the archives open for research? A: As we prepare to move to the new center, the archives will be closed to researchers from April 15, 2019 through Fall 2019. We cannot accept any research requests during this time. Thank you for your understanding.
Q: What is compact shelving? A: Storage units fitted with wheeled traction systems. Units can be closely packed when access is not required, but can be easily moved with a hand crank to open an aisle for access. This allows more space to be used for shelving.