Life as Heritage Officer for British Columbia's Government House . . .

Heritage Officer Caroline, circa 2005

After such an amazing time in California, my next museum career chapter began in a new city (for me) back in Canada: Victoria. We moved in 2003, and I spent the first while getting the kids settled in elementary school as well as really joining a community of parent/teacher groups, hockey teams and softball fun. I was lucky enough to have this time as I was not the primary family income earner. But it wasn't long until collection work called me . . .

I began my search as I always have - networking with other professionals, researching local organizations and finding out if there were any open opportunities out there. I also dug pretty deep into what it is I needed and/or could do at this time in my career and family life, this was that I wanted part-time work and any sort of long commute was going to affect childcare needs so I had best stay local. Additionally, I investigated volunteer opportunities to sort of test-drive places that I thought might be interesting to work. And I really really looked at my museum studies degree in collections management - were there non-museum places that needed their treasures organized? How could I find them if I was not able to work in a museum, specifically?

Well, as you may have guessed, I did happen to hear of one place that needed help with, of all things, a landau, and found out that it was smack in the middle of Victoria at Government House, the Office and Residence of the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, the representative for the Crown in the province. With all my gumption, I sent a letter, saying I would love to help. To my surprise, there was a response, with an additional ask of how to care for their collection of artwork and antique furniture, which was either on loan from local museums and galleries, or had been presented by the public after the a fire had burned the (second!) Government House to the ground. Oh my goodness, yes, I could absolutely help them out with that!

I created a proposal that described what I would do to photograph and inventory the collections they had, and to put it all on a database. I knew it would be a big job, and so I asked them what they wanted most: a couple of completely inventoried rooms (as in a 'piece of the cake') or all the inventory done of one kind of object - say their loans (a 'layer of the cake'). Well, it turns out the wanted the whole cake, but first they would try me out on a four month contract. I was thrilled.

Much like what's described in my inventory post, I first walked through the whole building and saw what was ahead of me. I found out about the objects on loan, the furniture with the donation stickers still on them as well as closets full of gifts presented to the Lieutenant Governor during official events. The building is four storeys which included a very large dining room, a ballroom - both for large, official celebratory events - a sitting room, staff offices (some converted from old servants' rooms!), of course the official residence of the Lieutenant Governor as well as the suites that are made available for visiting dignitaries. It's a big place, and very interesting, filled with artwork by British Columbia artists as well as portraits of former Lieutenant Governors (LGs) and, of course, the monarch.

After the visual review, I set out to understand the documentation available and reviewed the government files they had on the donations and loaned works as well as any commissioned paintings of the LGs. I thought the best way to set up the information on the collection should be readily accessible to any staff, and decided to work with Microsoft Office Access. It's not a perfect manner, but, at the time, other areas were using the database to track events and people, and so I designed what fields were required and another staff member worked with me to make it happen. I also lucked out and was able to use code to be able to add images so I could upload a photo for each object. I created a worksheet for each object and gathered materials to photograph, measure and document and number them in a system I devised. I was set!

I mapped out a logical way to inventory, choosing to go room by room. I worked with a Government House summer student, which was very lucky as an inventory project is exponentially faster when there is more than one person working - one writes up information, the other can set up a photograph and its numbers (I always like to put the number right in the photo, with the object!). We had a make-shift 'photo studio', using a white tablecloth over a collapsable table, and a whiteboard background. We set that up in a corner of each room we were inventorying. And when the intern was not available, I entered the data into Access and uploaded the photographs. We had a good system going!

I was keen to show my worth, and how the collection information could be used for the tour guides and others. And so when I was able to get the photographs to reproduce in Access reports, I cartwheeled down the hall in excitement. Well, no I didn't, but I sure would have if I could have! It meant so much to be able to provide these details in any sorted manner - by lender, by object type, by room, by artist. If you don't know what you have, you can't share that knowledge, right? 

With the inventory under control, I was brought in on a project to rehabilitate an 1872 building onsite as a teahouse with an area for information on the site. The building, known when I was there as the Butterworth Cottage, was once used as a home by the head gardener. There was also evidence that animals were kept there, as written on the walls there were notations of pigs born, with a date. Pretty cool, for sure.

Butterworth Cottage, south side

My job was to write the interpretive panels on the House and site, and use photographs from both the Government House archives as well as from other sources (with permission, of course). I wrote up a timeline of LGs as well as mentioned the house history, who had visited and of course information on the gardens. I worked with a designer to get the best layouts. This whole project ended up with a Hallmark Society award, and it was a great experience. Find time to visit if you haven't already! 

Inside Butterworth Cottage, with interpretive panels

Well, what else can I say? I have gone on a lot longer than I thought I would about this experience as Heritage Officer at Government House. I was fortunate enough to work there four years and four months, which is pretty good for just having pitched an idea too them! And I do need to also describe what it was like to work at such an important place, and how hard the Lieutenant Governor works for the province. There's a lot to celebrate in BC, and this institution and the position is all about that. The LG visits all over the province, attending large events and small, and gets to know a lot of people. I cannot tell you how much of an honour it was when the Lieutenant Governor would drop in at staff coffee time in the servery on the main floor (complete with a really long table). I said to a colleague outside of Government House that it was like talking to a historical figure; I was corrected to say, no I *AM* talking to a historical figure!  The people in this role - while I was there, Honourable Iona Capagnolo and Honourable Stephen Point - are truly remarkable British Columbians. 

Oh, and I DID get to meet a prince, who said he wished he had someone like me on staff, one who could look after collections and the items presented to him on official visits (I wrote a policy on gifts to the LG during my time there). Maybe I should follow up, and that's where my next adventure could take me . . . ?!

For The Love of History

This magic moment . . .

Being Canadian, I get exposed to a lot of hockey — it sure is a part of our collective experience. This is especially true during National Hockey League playoff times, and so I took pause when I recently saw a promotional ad for the Stanley Cup with the tag line of "History Will Be Made". It stirred something in me and so I went to YouTube to check out some of the videos. I saw this one:

As a gal that grew up in Edmonton in the 1980s, I gotta say, it teared me up a little. I remember loving to watch Wayne Gretzky and the Oilers, being a fierce fan, ignoring that it seemed like our home team was the envy (and aggravation) for all the others out there. But did I know I was watching historic moments with this team? I know I loved watching them win the Stanley Cup! Did I appreciate that The Great One was right at my doorstep, and that I was witness to one of the most incredible sports professionals ever? Maybe I knew this in my heart, because it seems to be the way I am built to feel history.

Ever since I can remember, I have been obsessed with history. Or maybe a better way to say it is story - his story, her story, their story, your story, our story. I have always wanted to know all the details of how we live our lives, from where your family is from to if you love your community down to what you had for breakfast (and if you ate it with your kin, or if you just grabbed a cup of coffee — no sugar — as you ran out the door). I believe I get a true connection with others through these vignettes, and I understand people better, as I get to see life through someone else's eyes. My love for museums and collections care grew from this love of history because, for me, it is objects that bring a tangible reminder of what has gone before, and how people have related to events, as the stories associated with those objects brings meaning to their experiences.

I find it interesting that social history in particular has grabbed me more than what used to be called "Big Man" history. Although the fascination of world leaders is engaging, I have to say it is the common experience of everyday people that has captured my soul. This year, 2011, has already had so many intense events - how will they be remembered? Will we document the earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand? What about Japan? Japan suffered so much through the 9.0 earthquake, ensuing tsunami, followed by a nuclear crisis. The country is now faced with rebuilding, but it is still there and persevering through hardships with great strength. And North America has dealt this year with wildfires, tornadoes, floods. How has this affected who we are? Some have had everything swept away in a moment. But I ask you, once a great event is off the headline news channel, who will remember what happened besides those who experienced it? How do we not forget these events? What will the people who survived these events do now? Will they be scarred forever? Will they build a museum to remember those who did not survive, and how they came back, against all odds? Is this moment when it becomes history?

But it's not just natural disasters that make our history. I also think about politics. Did you watch what happened in Egypt with the birth of democracy there? What about the changes in British Columbia's political leadership, including the appointment of a new premier? And how about that Canadian national election? How do these moments register, for surely they do. How does it affect us? Who will document — or notice — the changes in our lives brought on by our leaders?

I also admit there are 'pop' culture moments that say something about us. Some say these things aren't important to witness, but I beg to differ. In April I had to defend my intense need to stay up all night to watch the Royal Wedding between Prince William and Katie Middleton, just as I did thirty years ago to see the wedding of Prince Charles and Diana Spencer. We're talking about the potential king and queen of England here (but who's to say how this all turns out). I gotta bare witness, I just do, when I know these events are happening. And today happens to be the last day of the Oprah Winfrey show. One show might not mean much, but the last one? It's hard to resist the urge to watch the final airing of 25 years of television. (It's sort of like watching hockey playoffs, ain't it? History will be made today, too!)

What I have figured out is that we really live only in this moment; the rest, they say, is history. Through museum work, I am blessed to be a witness and one who preserves the story of what happens to us, and the stories of what came before. This act helps us share our lives with each other, and to share what has happened to us and our world with future generations. Doing work with museum collections lets my heart sing with history. Magic, for sure.