Historical Society Digitizes Collection With State Grant
The Bloomington Historical Society is ahead of schedule in digitizing its collection through a one-year grant from the Minnesota Arts and Heritage Fund, officials reported to the city council Wednesday.
The society received the grant through the Minnesota Historical Society in October to purchase software that catalogs items and makes them accessible through Minnesota Collections online. The grant allows the organization to display artifacts alongside other Minnesota museums for public viewing.
Jean, a society volunteer, said the organization has entered 866 items toward its goal of 1,000 items by October. The digital system represents a significant upgrade from the society's previous handwritten inventory system, allowing staff to know the location and details of every item in the collection.
The society currently is working on artifacts from Bloomington's police and fire departments. Each item is photographed and entered into the collective access database with detailed information. The digitization effort aims to share the community's stories beyond the museum's physical walls, as thousands of items remain in storage due to space limitations.
The Old Town Hall Museum operates entirely on volunteers and donations, offering free admission Wednesday through Thursday and Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m., with extended Thursday hours until 8 p.m. The society's digitized collection can be accessed through a link on its website to the Minnesota Collections online database.
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Areas of Interest (4)
- Small-town volunteer-run museum successfully digitizes thousands of artifacts using state grant funding.
- Technological gap bridged: Bloomington museum transitions from handwritten ledgers to professional digital databases.
- How the Minnesota Arts and Heritage Fund is enabling public access to hidden historical collections.
- The financial model of the Old Town Hall Museum: Sustaining history through donations and memberships.
Notable Quotes (2)
This software really allows us to take a huge leap from handwritten, sketchy, incomplete inventory to... totally professional inventory.
At this time, we have 866 items entered, so we're well ahead of our schedule.
People (1)
JeanMuseum Staff/RepresentativeDiscusses the transition from manual inventory to a professional digital system for museum artifacts.
2 quotes
Discusses the transition from manual inventory to a professional digital system for museum artifacts.
“I love the online ability to go in and look at an item and see it from home, and then be able to come into the museum.”
Expressing enthusiasm for the accessibility of the new digital collection.
“It's just so exciting to be able to share the collection outside these walls.”
Highlighting the impact of the digital inventory project.
Places Mentioned
Events & Meetings (3)
- Grant cycle ends in October of the current year
- Old Town Hall Museum open hours: Wed, Thu, Sat 1-5 PM
- Old Town Hall Museum late hours: Thursdays until 8 PM
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Other Topics from This Document
Implementation of a new digital database for museum collections
Grant funding from the Minnesota Arts and Heritage Fund
Digitization of Bloomington police and fire department artifacts
Museum accessibility and community outreach initiatives
Old Town Hall Museum operations and volunteer-based funding model
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