Let the Adventure Begin...

After seeing “Night At the Museum” entirely too many times I was more than excited to start my exciting adventure at the Nevada State Museum. After all, what could be more fun than working in a place where exhibits come to life and have you running for your life from Attila the Hun? When I found out that I would be spending my Fridays in the museum basement with all of the top-secret boxed up artifacts, I secretly hoped I would at least find a mummy or two down in there.

The big day finally arrived and I was on pins and needles. If you haven’t been to the Nevada State Museum, it is an impressive sight to see. Relocated to a brand new, state-of-the-art building next to the Springs Preserve it is dressed to the nines. If the giant tree in the lobby isn’t breathtaking than surely the towering wooly mammoth fossil in the natural history exhibit will leave you reeling. I’ll admit that I haven’t properly walked through all of the displays yet ::looks down in embarrassment:: but I am looking forward to getting to know the lay of the land soon.

This first day was a basic introduction. I met more names than I will ever remember (sorry) and learned that frequently staff members bring donuts into the staff room - vital information. I met with Michelle Lord, the Registrar of the Nevada State Museum. She will be my supervisor, mentor and basement buddy.

First off I learned about the exciting world of museum cataloging. I never knew there was such an intricate system to organizing and accounting for artifacts! Speaking of “Night at the Museum,” remember the 2nd movie - the Smithsonian one? Well if you remember the action scenes with the star museum guys fighting the Smithsonian ones (can you tell it’s been a few years since I’ve seen the movie?), they were in the museum basement. That’s where I’ll be! The Nevada State Museum has a HUGE  basement where all the pieces that are not on display are kept. Their storage cabinets are all on rollers and you push a button to get the shelf to move open. I feel like a little kid sometimes because I can’t help but just push the button and watch the shelves move every now and then when I walk by. I am eager to crack open some boxes next week and see how this whole process works.

Follow me as I take a journey and walk a few miles in the shoes of a museum intern and go “backstage” at the museum. Hopefully there will be some laughs, new experiences, and adventures along the way - with few tears or embarrassing moments in tow. And rest assured, if I ever find myself being chased by a giant eskimo wielding an axe, I’ll be sure to capture it with Instagram, my trusty companion for the summer.

Until next time.

Allison