Services and Resources for Local Historical Societies
Find helpful services and resources relevant to all aspects of local historical and heritage societies. Connect with professionals who are experienced in conservation, consulting, dealing with collections damaged by natural disaster and more.
Consulting Services for Local Historical Organizations
The Wisconsin Historical Society offers a wide variety of services to local historical and heritage organizations, including consulting services. Explore the PDF list below to find experienced Society staff who can provide advice on subjects ranging from care of museum objects to preservation of historic buildings. Please note that Wisconsin Historical Society staff cannot provide legal or financial opinions; instead, please reach out for appropriate counsel from a legal or financial expert.
Services for Local Historical Societies (PDF, 62 KB)
Have Conservation Questions?
A list of reliable preservation and conservation information resources for museums, historical societies, libraries and other cultural collecting institutions is available here.
Additionally, you may contact the Wisconsin Historical Society's curatorial services by email below:
museumcollections@wisconsinhistory.org
Public History Programs in Wisconsin
Public History programs are a great source for interns, volunteers, and staff for local historical societies and museums. Contact information for Library-Archives, Museum Studies and Public History certificate, undergraduate and graduate programs in Wisconsin can be found in the PDF below.
Public History Programs in Wisconsin (PDF, 133 KB)
Resource Links by Topic
Collections Care
Archival Collections
Gaylord Guide to Collections Care
Gaylord - Archival Storage of Photographic Materials
Minnesota Historical Society Tech Talk - Photographs
Preservation Self-Assessment Program - Glass Slides
Shiloh Museum of Ozark History - Caring for Your Family Photos
Object Collections
Government of Canada - Care of Objects and Collections
Institute of Conservation - Caring for Your Collections
Historic Weaponry & Military Items
AASLH - Managing Military Collections in Your Museum
AASLH - Care of Military Items in the Museum Collection
Connecting to Collections Care - Lock, Stock and Barrel: Firearms Collecting for Museums
National Park Service Conserve O Gram - Caring for Historic Longarms
Metal Artifacts
Canadian Conservation Institute - Storage of Metals
The Henry Ford Museum - The Care and Preservation of Historical Iron
National WWII Museum - Preservation of Metal Artifacts
Collections Management
Things Great and Small: Collections Management Policies, by John E. Simmons
Accessioning
American Alliance of Museums - Accessioning Activity
Western Australian Museum - Guide to Acquisition and Accessioning Procedures
Wisconsin Historical Society - What Makes a Thing an Artifact?
Deaccessioning
American Alliance of Museums - Questions and Answers about Selling Objects from the Collection
Connecting to Collections Care - The Deaccessioning Dilemma: Laws, Ethics, and Actions
Connecting to Collections Care - Why Do We Need This? Insights and Hindsights from Deaccessioning
Closing Sites & Museums
American Alliance of Museums - Closing Permanently
BC Museums Association - Sunsetting Your Site
Connecting to Collections - Making a Good End: How to Close a Museum
Collections Management Software
History Associates - How Do We Select a Collections Management System?
History Associates - Top 10 Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing a Collections Management System
Digitization
Recollection Wisconsin - Digital Readiness Toolkit
Disaster Response
American Institute for Conservation - National Heritage Responders
Midwest Regional Conservation Guild - Disaster Response
Midwest Regional Conservation Guild - Rescue Your Treaures
Wisconsin Historical Society - Resources for Flooding in Historic Buildings
Policy Documents
Indiana Historical Society - Some Basic Issues Involved in Organizing a Historical Society
Society of American Archivists - Appraisal and Acquisition/Accession (Sample Policies and Forms)
Records Retention Schedules
Society of American Archivists - Records Retention and Disposition Schedules (Sample Schedules)
State of Wisconsin - Municipal Records Schedule
State of Wisconsin - Statewide General Records Schedules
Exhibit Design
Exhibit Makeovers: A Do-It-Yourself Workbook for Small Museums, by Alice Parman
Labels
Smithsonian Institution - Guide to Interpretive Writing for Exhibitions
Smithsonian Institution - Guidelines for Label-Writers
University of California Santa Barbara - Exhibition Text General Guidelines
First Nations Resources
Wisconsin State Tribal Relations Initiative
Wisconsin State Tribal Relations Initiative - Tribes of Wisconsin
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction - American Indian Studies Program
Wisconsin First Nations Education
PBS Wisconsin - Tribal Histories
Wisconsin Historical Society Press - Native People of Wisconsin
Wisconsin Indian Education Association (WIEA)
Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, Inc. (GLITC)
Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC)
Native American Tourism of Wisconsin (NATOW)
Management
Board Relations
Endowment Management
Fundraising
Wisconsin Historical Society - Major Gifts Fundraising with Jamie Simek
Grants
Institute of Museums & Library Services
National Endowment for the Humanities
Wisconsin Federation of Museums Mini-Grants
Wisconsin Historical Society Local History Grants for Collections Care and Access
Wisconsin Humanities (Granting Paused)
Wisconsin State Historic Preservation Office - Building-Specific Grant Listing
Insurance
American Alliance of Museums - Information Center Fact Sheet: Museum Collections Insurance
Oklahama Museums Association - Insurance
Tax Exempt Status
Interal Revenue Service - Tax Exempt Organization Search
Programming
Accessibility
Wisconsin Historical Society - Practical Accessibility with Jason Beloungy and Wendy Weiler
Educational Programming
Wisconsin Historical Society - Connecting Local History with Local Educators
Oral History
Doing Oral History, by Donald A. Ritchie
Wisconsin Humanities - Tips for Collecting and Using Oral History in Public Humanities Programs
Tours
City of Waupun - Waupun Sculpture Tour