DACS

]> mu2000-27 Guide to the Wesleyan Museum Records, 1836 - 1985 Processed by: Valerie Gillispie; machine-readable finding aid created by: Valerie Gillispie &hdrsca;

Machine-readable finding aid derived from XML authoring program. Date of source: June 2007 Description is in English Finding aid was prepared using DACS Guide to the Wesleyan Museum Records, 1836 - 1985 Special Collections & ArchivesWesleyan University Middletown, CT, USA

Descriptive Summary Special Collections & Archives, Wesleyan University Wesleyan University (Middletown, Conn.) Wesleyan Museum Records, 1836 - 1985 2000-27 Material in English 9.25 12 For current information on the location of these materials, please consult Special Collections & Archives staff. The Wesleyan Museum was created in 1871 to supplement the science curriculum at Wesleyan University. Its collections of natural history materials as well as enthnographic artifacts made it popular with students and faculty in the late 19th century. It became less important to the university as new methods of studying supplanted the museum, and it was closed in 1957. The Wesleyan Museum Records contains annual reports, correspondence, invoices, inventories, catalogues, accession books, photos, and other materials related to the operations and collections of the museum. Administrative Information Access Restrictions

No restrictions. Some of the bound albums are fragile and should be handled with care.

Copyright for Official University records is held by Wesleyan University; all other copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Wesleyan Museum Records, Collection #2000-27, Special Collections & Archives, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT, USA.

Acquisitions Information

Materials were transferred from the Geology Department in August 1984.

Processing Information

Processed by Valerie Gillispie, June 2007

Encoded by Valerie Gillispie, June 2007

Historical Note

The Wesleyan Museum (1871-1957) was an integral part of the science curriculum at Wesleyan University. Materials collected by faculty, students, and other donors were intended to help students study the natural world. Materials collected included shells, rocks, fossils, wood specimens, mineral specimens, birds, fish, animals, insects, and dried plants. In addition, American Indian artifacts, coins, certain artworks, and a mummy also found a home in the museum. Wesleyan closely followed the 19th century curiosity cabinet model of natural history museums.

The Museum opened on the third and fourth floors of Judd Hall in 1871. By the end of the decade, a number of students and faculty members were using the museum's materials in their research. It later expanded into some rooms on the second floor of the building in 1886. In the late 1880s, the museum added a focus on ethnological collections, related to humans.

Towards the end of the 1890s, the institution's interest in the museum lessened, with less funding alotted. The museum moved out of the second floor of Judd Hall. New faculty preferred laboratory work to studying museum specimens, and the museum became less relevant to the curriculum. The Museum remained open but largely unused in the curriculum.

In 1938, the museum had an offical re-opening to signify renewed interest in the museum. Funds were alocated for repairs and remodeling. School groups regularly toured the museum, and were perhaps its primary visitors until the Museum closed in 1957.

When the Wesleyan Museum closed, there were thousands of specimens to disperse. Many went to the Smithsonian Institution; others were donated or put on loan to Connecticut institutions. Some of the materials were divided up among science departments at Wesleyan. Other materials were dispersed to storage locations across campus, often without a record of the transfer.

In the 1970s, some faculty took an interest in cataloging the materials within their own departments, especially archaeological and anthropological materials. The museum's mummy came to national prominence in the late 1970s when it was unwrapped and studied by Professor Stephen Dyson.

Collection Overview

The Wesleyan Museum Records contains annual reports, correspondence, invoices, inventories, catalogues, accession books, photos, and other materials. It is organized into four series.

Series 1 contains Annual Reports of the museum. Series 2 contains Administrative materials, such as correspondence, used in the daily operations of the museum. Series 3, the largest series, is Accessions, Catalogues and Inventories. These materials reflect the museum's natural history focus, with many bird, fish, mammal and insect specimens. There are also detailed lists of shells, minerals, wood samples, coins, marbles, and even a detailed description of the museum's mummy. There are also catalogs of some of the curiosities donated to the museum by collectors or groups. Series 4 is Images, a small collection of photographs and negatives.

Online Catalog Headings

These and related materials may be found under the following headings in online catalogs.

Wesleyan University (Middletown, Conn.)--Curricula. Wesleyan University (Middletown, Conn.)--History. Museum exhibits--History. Museum techniques--History. Anthropological museums and collections--History. Museums--Acquisitions. Museums and schools. Museums--Connecticut--Middletown--History. Natural history museums--History. Photographs. Related Material

Vertical Files, Special Collections & Archives, Wesleyan University

Detailed Description of the Collection Series 1. Annual Reports, 1877-1973

The Annual Reports contain summaries of changes in administration or procedure, major acquisitions, number of visitors, and any other notable happenings. The reports from the 1970s relate to the anthropology and archaeology collections, some of which came from the original Wesleyan Museum.

In most cases, the photocopies of the 1877-1892 annual reports should be used to prevent wear and tear on the originals.

1 Original reports Complete set in book box, 1877-1892 1 Fifth and Sixth Annual Reports, including a history of the museum from its formation, 1877 2 Eighth Annual Report, 1879 3 Ninth Annual Report, 1880 4 Tenth Annual Report, 1881 5 Eleventh Annual Report, 1882 6 Twelfth Annual Report, 1883 7 Thirteenth Annual Report, 1884 8 Fourteenth Annual Report, 1885 9 Fifteenth Annual Report, 1886 10 Seventeenth Annual Report, 1888 11 Eighteenth Annual Report, 1889 12 Nineteenth Annual Report, 1890 13 Twentieth Annual Report, 1891 14 Twenty-First Annual Report, 1892 21 Annual Report, 1931 2 Annual Report, 1938 3 Annual Report, 1948 4 Annual Report, 1957 5 Annual Report, 1970-1971 6 Annual Report, February 1972 7 Annual Report, 1972-1973 Photocopies of reports 8 Fifth and Sixth Annual Reports, including a history of the museum from its formation, 1877 9 Seventh Annual Report, 1878 10 Eighth Annual Report, 1879 11 Ninth Annual Report, 1880 12 Tenth Annual Report, 1881 13 Eleventh Annual Report, 1882 14 Twelfth Annual Report, 1883 15 Thirteenth Annual Report, 1884 16 Fourteenth Annual Report, 1885 17 Fifteenth Annual Report, 1886 18 Sixteenth Annual Report, 1887 19 Seventeenth Annual Report, 1888 20 Eighteenth Annual Report, 1889 21 Nineteenth Annual Report, 1890 22 Twentieth Annual Report, 1891 23 Twenty-First Annual Report, 1892 Series 2. Administrative, 1836-1985

Administrative materials include correspondence, reports, forms, registers of visitors, and other documents used in the administration of museum operations.

Correspondence and administrative documents 31 1836-1896 2 1911-1927 3 1930-1956 4 1957-1985 5 Undated 6 Exhibit and item labels 7 Loans 4 Scrapbook

This item is fragile and must be handled with care. It contains correspondence and invoices dating from 1876 to 1896.

The Archaeological Collection of the United States National Museum, in Charge of the Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C., by Charles Rau

This volume has a hole drilled through its upper lefthand corner and a chain threaded through the hole. The book was possibly used as a reference book for the employees or visitors of the Wesleyan Museum.

38 Supply catalogs Registers of Visitors 51 1874-1896 2 1896-1929 3 1938-1952 Series 3. Accessions, Catalogues, and Inventories

New accessions to the museum, organized by genre, were carefully recorded by hand in bound volumes or notebooks. Each accession was assigned a number.

Catalogues are inventories of particular collections, usually assembled by a single collector or small group of collectors.

Inventories are lists or descriptions of items in the museum.

These materials reflect the museum's natural history focus, with many bird, fish, mammal and insect specimens. There are also detailed lists of shells, minerals, wood samples, coins, marbles, and even a detailed description of the museum's mummy. There are also catalogs of some of the curiosities donated to the museum by collectors or groups; for example, the Missionary Lyceum, an 19th century Wesleyan student group, recorded African, Indian, and South American materials in their Catalogue of Curiosities.

Accessions 61 Articulata: Crustacean Vermes Book 1, no. 1-360 Book 2, no. 361-720 Book 3, no. 721-760 2 Articulata: Insects and Arachnids Book 1, No. 1-360 Book 2, No. 361-720 Book 4, No. 1081-1440 (2 copies) Book 5, No. 1441-1800 Book 6, No. 1801-2160 Book 7, No. 2161-2219 3 Birds Book 2, no. 361-720 Book 3, no. 721-1080 Book 4, no. 1081-1440 Book 5, no. 1441-1770 Book 6, no. 1771-2130 Book 7, no. 2131-2422 4 Birds: nests and eggs Book 1, no. 1-360 Book 2, no. 361-479 Discarded book 2, no. 361- 5 Botany Book 1, no. 1-360 Book 2, no. 361-689 Book 3, no. 691-782 6 Fishes Book 1, no. 1-360 Book 2, no. 361-720 Book 3, no. 721-1090 71 Insecta [Rhopalocera] and heterocera Book 1, no. 1-210 Book 2, no. 211-342 2 Mammalia Book 1, no. 1-360 Book 2, no. 361-690 Book 2, no. 361-646 (copied) Mollusca 8 Bound catalogue, no. 1-3570 Bound catalogue, no. 3571-7190 73 Book 1, no. 7191-7550 Book 1, no. 7191-7550 (copied) No. 7191-7786, Plants no. 398-458 (copied) Book 2, no. 7551-7854 4 Protozoa Book 1 5 Radiata Book 1, no. 1-360

Book 1 only goes to number 280. 80 numbers not filled.

Book 2, no. 361-600 Book 3, no. 601-811 6 Reptilia and amphibia Book 1, no. 1-360 Book 2, no. 361-720 Book 3, no. 721-783 7 Vertebrata Book 1, Recatalogued

These specimens have been re-catalogued in the special Catalogues of Mammals, Birds, Reptiles and Amphibia, and Fishes.

8 Loose page, unidentified 91 Deaccessions Catalogues 2 Barratt Cabinet 3 Curiosities belonging to the Missionary Lyceum, June 1848

Made by Benjamin T. Roberts, Frank O. Blair, Ralza M. Manly, and Henry S. Noyes.

4 Cuvicarian Cabinet, March 24, 1838

Arranged by A. Bigelow, S. Martindale, Jr. and S. Fitch, Jr., Committee.

5 Frankfort Cabinet 6 Minerals, Wesleyan University 7 Minerals, Wesleyan University, May 1838 8 Minerals from Prescott Cabinets 9 Collection of woods from the Charles H. Neff collection

Woods found growing about Portland, Conn., or vicinity.

101 Local collection of Charles H. Neff

All Indian relics recorded in this book were found about Portland, Conn., and in the neighboring towns within a radius of a few miles.

2 Sea shell collection of Charles H. Neff, Portland, Conn. 3 A complete list of stuffed birds and mammals in collection of Charles H. Neff 111 Field notes of Charles H. Neff, 1874-1910 Inventory 2 Birds of Connecticut 3 Coin collections 4 Marbles 5 Mummy 6 General 7 Old artifact lists 8 Items sent to National Museum Series 4. Images

The photographs include images from a dig in Tennessee, shrunken heads, and a person dressed in an Inuit costume, as well as images of the museum and some of its items. These appear to be from the early 20th century. There are also several photographs from the 1970s of a mortar the was uncovered in Portland, Connecticut.

The negatives include images of pottery and Brazilian, Polynesian, and Egyptian materials.

The series also contains X-rays of the Wesleyan museum mummy.

9-11 Photographs 12 Negatives 12 Oversize Photographs X-rays

The x-rays appear to be images of the museum mummy from 1978.