Big Week...

So I've had quite a few interesting experiences this week - thought I'd share a bit about them...

On Tuesday, I had the chance to go down to the Object Conservation Lab in the basement of the museum. That is where objects are brought before they're put on display to be cleaned or repaired or anything. The lab is SO interesting, and the ladies that work in there are wonderful. They showed me and another intern all around the lab and showed up what they're working on right now. They have so many tools in the lab for conservation - all kinds of interesting potions and stuff! They were working mainly on projects for a new exhibit opening in '09 called On The Water - it's a new maritime exhibit. They were working on several model ships that were really cool. They were also working on this big wooden trunk that was off of a ship - it was so gorgeous! They were also working on a couple of things for the new 'artifact walls' that are going to be up when the museum opens. They were working on some mouse traps for an artifact wall and also were working on some artifacts from the first ladies collection. There was some beautiful silverware that was one of the first ladies' (I don't know whose) and also this amazing silver castle thing that held perfume. I'd definitely never seen anything like it!

On Wednesday, I went with the interns on a tour of the Archives Center at the museum. I'd never been there before, and it was really interesting. The museum has a huge collection of archives, but many of them are specialized - like the Duke Ellington collection and a collection of CCC Records from the Depression era. Many of the interns will use the archives for research on their specific project. I wish I had something to work on in there! It was really interesting.

After I left work on Wednesday, I was walking to Barnes and Noble and the president's motorcade drove by on the way to the capitol building. That was a pretty exciting moment, I'm not gonna lie ;-)

Today we had a briefing (ie -class) at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, which is the office building next to the White House where the VP works. In case you were wondering, Dick Cheney's office is #246, haha. We actually went to a conference room and were briefed by a former advisor to the President who worked with Bush on the Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill that failed in June. It was very interesting, and I'm not gonna lie, the building was pretty great. I was excited to be in there ;-)

So that was my week...