Spook-tacular Artifacts at the Augusta Museum of History - Part V

This horse-drawn hearse on display at AMH is from Dents Undertaking Establishment and was used from the 1890s until about 1920.

Spook-tacular Artifacts at the Augusta Museum of History - Part IV

This photograph from the AMH archives shows the grave of John Martin (1737-1843) in Magnolia Cemetery. Martin was a veteran of the 1755 Cherokee War and Revolutionary War. The cannon barrel was a souvenir he brought home from the Revolutionary War and is being used as a foot marker for his grave.

Spook-tacular Artifacts at the Augusta Museum of History - Part III

Cooking Pot ca. 1800’s

Often referred to as a cauldron or a gypsy kettle, these types of vessels were typically used to cook food over an open fire.

Spook-tacular Artifacts at the Augusta Museum of History - Part II

Augusta’s first hospital, City Hospital, opened in 1818. This surgical environment features anesthesia and surgical instruments ca. 1906 and a mural photograph of City Hospital’s staff in the operating theater ca. 1906.

Spook-tacular Artifacts at the Augusta Museum of History - Part I

Shrunken Head

The process of preparing human heads for display was developed by a South American tribe located on the Amazon River. The skull would be removed and the skin treated with herbs in a similar way leather is tanned. This was thought to be done as a way to gain the spiritual power of a fallen enemy.

This item was donated to the Museum by G.L. Straub.

Preserving Your Treasures

A program that shares tips for caring for your treasures and gives the general public a glimpse of the behind-the-scenes world of museums

The Augusta Museum of History is offering for the second year the popular ‘behind-the-scenes’ education program to the general public – Preserving History: Behind-the-Scenes at the Augusta Museum of History.

Beginning this Saturday, September 5th, Museum staff will escort visitors in the collection preparation area every Saturday through September at 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m., giving the public the opportunity to see the Museum’s Processing Laboratory where artifact conservation and preparation occurs. The Museum’s Registrar will demonstrate how the Museum collects, catalogs, preserves, studies, cares for, and displays artifacts and archival collections.
Sean Todd, Registrar at the Augusta Museum of History said “Everybody remembers the thrill they had when they explored their grandparents’ attic. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to learn about the Museum’s collection, explore the Museum’s processing room, and to experience our collective past.”

The Augusta Museum of History is the steward of a broad and diverse range of artifacts, representing many aspects of the rich history of the CSRA. The goal of this hour-long presentation is to show visitors how historically important objects reach the Museum and how they are evaluated, cleaned, and stored. All of the relevant considerations, such as infestation, temperature and relative humidity levels, light levels, and composition of storage materials will be explained. The visitor will understand how these processes are central to the Museum’s broader mission of the preservation and interpretation of history.

Beginning September 5, 2009 the tours will be held at 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. every Saturday through September. Space is limited to fifteen participants per session and participation is on a first come, first serve basis. Groups are encouraged to contact the Museum at (706) 722-8454 regarding availability.
Preserving History is open to the general public and FREE with the cost of regular admission. Museum hours are 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays. Admission is $4 for Adults, $3 for Seniors, $2 for Children, and Free for Children under Age 5 and Museum Members. For more information, please contact the Museum at (706) 722-8454 or visit www.augustamuseum.org.

Artifact of the Day - A 1953 Sancken’s Ice Cream Tray

This tray was donated by Curby L. Smith. Trays and bottles bearing the Sancken Dairy company name were common sights in the ice cream parlors and restaurants in Augusta throughout the 1950s and beyond. Trays like this one were used as advertisement pieces to make the company name and logo more recognizable to local customers.