How long have you been with Queensland Museum and what attracted you to museum work?
I started at Queensland Museum in 2016, straight out of university, as a casual collections technician working on two very large storage upgrades that ran until 2019. From there, I moved to the exhibitions workshop and conservation as a technical officer until 2023 when I found my dream job as a Collection Manager.
What attracted me the most about museum work was the variety in both collection and people that you get to work with both inside and outside of the country. That, and I’m not digging holes in the 40 degree heat!
What is your favourite thing about working in Collections Management?
Again, it has to be the variety of work that we do. When I tell school kids about what we do, I always say “I never do the same thing twice.”
My favourite specific activity that we are responsible for is storage. It’s been my passion from the very start and it is one part of our job that we can channel our creativity into our work. Collection Managers are problem solvers at heart.
Your upcoming Lunchtime Lecture on 30 October is about 3D modelling and printing. What makes this topic relevant to museums today?
This is a big question. In the exhibition world, the benefits are quite tangible. 3D printing can be used to create life sized replicas of dinosaurs (Dinosaurs Unearthed) and 3D models of objects can be used on screens in exhibitions to enhance the objects on display with splicing programs (Sea Monsters & Discovering Ancient Egypt).
From a collections point of view, the list of applications is long and complex, from loans, conservation, research, repatriation, and more. All of which shall be explored in my talk later this month.
For collectors at home, what is the best piece of advice you can give them in terms of appropriately storing their home collections?
Temperature and humidity control are key to storing anything for a long time. Keeping your precious things out of sunlight or harsh lights in general, especially if they are paper or textiles.
In terms of storage and security, lockable cabinets or cupboards are a must. Using archival quality materials for packing have more of an effect in preservation than you might think. Bubble wrap and packing tape off-gas over time and can cause reactions in some material. Most importantly however, keep the objects away from the kids…
Lastly, when it comes to archaeology and pop culture, what is the biggest misconception?
I have to go with the most obvious answer and say that almost every archaeologist I’ve ever seen on screen is not doing a single thing that resembles archaeology. The closest we get in any action film is the five minutes Indiana Jones spends teaching his classes.
That, and we don’t dig up dinosaurs…
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