What objects do we collect and why? We all know a collector — you might be that collector! Discover some personal collections housed at our four institutions and get the opportunity to share your own.
Images
Office of the State Archaeologist “Personal Collections” Gallery
University of Iowa Libraries “Personal Collections” Gallery
Videos
My Collections: Tales from the Curio Cabinet
Other Media
My Collections
View chosen collections from My Collections, an ongoing, collaborative, educational exhibition program inviting the community to participate in exhibiting their own personal collections at the University of Iowa Pentacrest Museums.
Virtual Programs
A presentation and Q&A with the Pentacrest Museums and UI Libraries (60 min)
What does it mean to collect something and why do people collect? What does it say about us as humans, society, and history? Explore the meaning behind the art of collecting. Audiences will get to meet people with unique personal collections and the stories their collections tell.
A presentation and Q&A with the Stanley Museum (60 min)
We’re going to learn more about art (paintings, jewelry, ceramics, photography, sculpture…) while learning more about each other. Amanda Lensing from the Stanley Museum of Art will lead the show and tell with objects from the Stanley collections and continue the conversation with participants while applying the Elements of Art (line, shape, form, space, texture, value, and color). 1) Show a piece of art or craft from your collection – one you created or one that was gifted to you. 2) Tell us why it’s important to you.
A presentation and Q&A with the Office of the State Archaeologist (60 min)
Iowans have been enthusiastic about artifact hunting for generations. When conscientious avocational archaeologists partner with professionals, we build our knowledge of the archaeological past in ways we couldn’t do alone. We focus on four collectors who have made important contributions to our understanding of Iowa archaeology.
A presentation and Q&A with the UI Libraries (60 min)
A look at the Culinary Cookbook Collection in the UI Library’s Special Collections.
A presentation and Q&A with the Office of the State Archaeologist (60 min)
In archaeology, what defines an artifact? How do we tell when something is natural versus human-made or authentic versus a forgery? When it comes to personal collections, does it matter? We explore how archaeologists define artifacts, laws and ethics that strive to guide the the hobby of artifact hunting, and how forgeries and the buying and selling of artifacts impact our study of the past.