L&A County Museum and Archives creating COVID-19 time capsule
The world has changed significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the different changes we’re all experiencing are history in the making.
It is for that reason the Lennox and Addington (L&A) County Museum and Archives in Napanee is creating a COVID-19 time capsule to capture the happenings in L&A communities during this pandemic. To do so, L&A County staff have created a new webpage to serve as a means to collect and curate an on-going exhibition for people to experience today, and for the curatorial team to preserve for the future.
“It is the responsibility of museums and archives the world over to capture this history and be sure it is preserved for generations to come,” L&A County Museum and Archives said in a press release on Friday, Apr. 17, 2020.
The time capsule webpage offers a series of suggested topics for residents to share their experiences of, be it in writing, song, photographs, art, movies, or any other medium. The suggested topics are:
Family life: what has your family been doing while in isolation? What new activities have your family engaged in? How are you communicating with your friends and family outside the home?
Acts of kindness: What have you done or seen that has helped spread joy, ease fears, lessen loneliness, or help the most vulnerable in our population?
Work life: What has changed about your employment situation? Are you working from home? How has your workday changed through this pandemic?
Students at work: How are you and your family adapting to the use of virtual classrooms and learning at home? What kind of assignments have you worked on regarding COVID-19? What is it like to have your parents in charge of your studies at this time?
Photos and artwork: Through this time, creative people are undoubtedly finding inspiration. What have you created during this time? What moments and feelings have you captured?
Videos: What have you captured or what story can you tell on video? The outside world looks as different as the ones we live indoors right now, so go for a walk and capture what you find most striking? Or send a message from you and your family.
Written word: Thoughts, observations, emotions, dreams. Poems, short stories, songs, or prose are great ways to share the way communities are dealing with this stressful and uncertain time.
As images, videos, and personal accounts are collected, L&A County Museum and Archives will curate and share them on the webpage. Later, the public will be invited to bring in donations for the time capsule. Donated items can include representational objects, photos, promotion materials, digital reels, artwork, and more.
“It won’t be any time soon that we forget the time when the world shut down, but there will be a day when COVID-19 is in our past. We need to be prepared to tell the stories,” L&A County Museum & Archives Curator JoAnne Himmelman said in a statement. “We’re looking for videos, images, artwork, stories… Don’t be shy, let us know what is happening in your world. This is for future generations to see.”
To learn more about the L&A County Museum and Archives’ COVID-19 time capsule, or to contribute to the time capsule, click here.