By Megan Anderson, Manager of Exhibits & Interpretive Planning As we enter August – and our sixth month since COVID-19 turned life in the U.S. upside down– many museums and historical sites are struggling with the question of whether or …
Breaking Ground: The United States Olympic and Paralympic Museum Opens to the Public
By Mimi Eisen, Historian Last week, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Museum (USOPM) in Colorado Springs first opened to the public, and HAI is proud to have worked with design firm Gallagher & Associates on content development for the …
The Great American Outdoors Act: What is it, why do we need it, and what are the next steps?
By Scott Vierick, Historian Since its formation in 1916, the National Park Service has managed an ever-growing number of resources, from small historic sites to vast stretches of wilderness. Today, there are 419 distinct units in the NPS system, which …
“In the Eye of a Hurricane”: Taking a Stand at the 1968 Olympics
By Mimi Eisen, Historian If not for the coronavirus pandemic, we would currently be in the midst of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, watching awestruck as Simone Biles flew and twisted in midair and no doubt enjoying the …
A Dining Experience to Remember: A Brief History of the Automat, Part 2
By Colleen Kim, Historian If you haven’t already, learn about the origins of the Automat in Part 1 of this blog. No Glorified Slot Machine Despite its mechanical novelty, the Automat was “far from being a glorified slot machine,” as …
A Dining Experience to Remember: A Brief History of the Automat, Part 1
By Colleen Kim, Historian As the country begins to reopen and establish a “new normal,” the question of what the restaurant experience will look like in the coming months looms large. Today, we’re exploring the history of a long-forgotten, low-contact …
Advice on Donating Congressional Records: What Members of Congress Should Know
Originally published May 2016 By Megan O’Hern-Crook, C.A., Manager of Archives & Information Management As the election season approaches, we’re revisiting a 2016 blog that explores the process of Congressional records donations. Members who are leaving office have a lot …
The View from Abroad: Lessons from the Reopening of Libraries and Archives in Europe
By Janet Holsinger, Senior Historian Libraries and archives, like other institutions and businesses, are trying to figure out how to adapt to the challenges of reopening arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. Because most serve on-site researchers and patrons, staff need …
Malady & Memory: Historic Sites that Preserve the Legacy of Resisting Disease
By Scott Vierick, Historian Disease and pandemics have always been a part of human history, but for every illness, there have been countless people who have worked to study and create treatments and cures. Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, HAI historians …
All Bound Up Together: Voices from Reconstruction
By Mimi Eisen, Historian For the past few years, there have been rumblings of a third Reconstruction – the civil rights movement of the 1950s and ‘60s is now widely considered the second. And yet, the namesake of these eras …
Corporate Collections: Preserve Your Past, Promote Your Legacy
Over the years, HAI has seen an increase in the interest of high-profile companies to create and/or develop corporate collections. The Levi Strauss Visitor Center, built to commemorate the company’s 150th anniversary, displays a pair of jeans from 1890 and …
Documenting Links Between Financial and Insurance Institutions and Slavery
By Janet Holsinger, Senior Historian The conversation about racism that is now occurring in the United States—and around the globe—is belatedly turning attention to the historical links between financial institutions and the slavery of people of African descent. HAI has …