Preservation Week 2020

This week is Preservation Week! A time to celebrate and bring awareness to the work that libraries, archives, and museums to do preserve the billions of objects held in repositories across the U.S.  To celebrate Preservation Week, we thought we’d highlight some of the special objects held in the collections at Bok Tower Gardens. And you can bring home some of the special items from our collections with a new free download – printable Bookmarks!

The following items are some favorites from Bok Tower Gardens’ staff, volunteers, and friends-

Geert, carillonneur
Key for the Brass Door of the Singing Tower, created by Samuel Yellin  (above)

David, president of Bok Tower Gardens
Letter from Helen Keller to Mary Louise Curtis Bok

Bonnie, volunteer
Wrought iron lamps created by Samuel Yellin

Tricia, director of education
Footage of President Calvin Coolidge speaking at the Dedication
Rice Krispies box with Snap, Crackle, and Pop visiting the Singing Tower as well as other souvenirs

Bok Tower Gardens Memorabilia, including the Rice Krispies box (R)

Alex, former carillon fellow
Steinway piano at Pinewood Estate

1917 Steinway piano at Pinewood Estate, a gift from Nellie Lee Bok

Nancy March, member
Historic photographs and weekly reports 
Call buttons and the kitchen sink at its stopper at Pinewood Estate

Melissa, director of development
The Ladies’ Home Journal Collection

Caryn, Pinewood Estate coordinator
Photographs and scrapbooks from the Buck family

C. Austin Buck and family

LuAnn, friend of the Gardens
Key for the Brass Door of the Singing Tower, created by Samuel Yellin  (above)
Tile floor of the Founder’s Room

Patrick, plant records manager
Original blueprints of the Gardens and associated correspondence

Olmsted plans for the Gardens’ summit

Joy, friend of the Gardens
Old signage from around the Gardens

Jaime, library & archival collections manager
Burrell Collection, materials from the builder, Horace H. Burrell
Mr. Bok’s scrapbook collection and the Müller scrapbook
Orde van de Nederlandse Leeuw (Order of the Netherlands Lion) medal, on loan from the Chancery of the Netherlands Orders of Knighthood

Orde van de Nederlandse Leeuw (Order of the Netherlands Lion)
A page from Edward W. Bok’s “After Retirement Activities” Scrapbook

 

Leave a comment below and tell us some of your favorite items!