News Release

Upcoming Presentation to Highlight Ways to Preserve Your Family’s Treasures

Fort Vancouver National Historic Site curators are responsible for caring for a large collection of historic and archaeological artifacts, like these World War I-era dog tags owned by Private Albert Cooper.

NPS Photo

News Release Date: December 11, 2019

Contact: Meagan Huff, Curator, [phone]

On Saturday, January 11, 2020, at 10 am, Fort Vancouver National Historic Site Curator Meagan Huff will deliver a free presentation with guidance on preserving family treasures. Attendees will learn about the "agents of deterioration" that can harm heirlooms, find out what they can do to slow this process, and which supplies to use to help preserve their family's treasured documents and objects. This presentation is free. Seating is limited to 70 people. Please note that no identifications or appraisals will be done.

Fort Vancouver National Historic Site's Cultural Resources staff care for a museum collection of nearly 3 million archaeological and historic artifacts. As a whole, the National Park Service is the second largest museum system in the country, after the Smithsonian, caring for a grand total of 48 million items that tell the story of the American experience. Meagan Huff holds an M.A. in Museum Studies from the University of Washington, and has worked with the museum collection at Fort Vancouver NHS since 2010.

"I have met so many members of the community who are interested in properly caring for their family's heirlooms so that they can last for generations to come," said Huff. "I hope that this presentation will demystify some of the 'principles of preservation' and will help those who are interested in saving their family's collections."

What: "Preserving Your Family's Treasures," a presentation and discussion with Fort Vancouver National Historic Site Curator Meagan Huff

When: Saturday, January 11, 2020, at 10 am

Where: The Fort Vancouver Visitor Center, 1501 E Evergreen Blvd., Vancouver, WA 98661

Cost: Free