This autumn, I am launching a community-based heritage project here in Lunenburg, and I would like to invite local residents to get hands-on with our regional material history.
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My collection, the Mobile Millinery Museum Collection & Costume Archive, has recently acquired a new selection of late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century garments, historical textiles, and tools, including a functioning antique velvet steamer. Notably, the acquisition includes several authentic Edwardian hats featuring fully preserved bird wings. These specific artifacts illustrate the turn-of-the-century fashion trends that directly prompted the early wildlife conservation movement and the establishment of migratory bird protection laws.
Rather than cataloguing these items privately, I will be hosting a series of weekly “Processing Days” at a local South Shore venue. I am looking to form a small volunteer cohort of four to six residents to join me. I will be teaching the fundamentals of museum-grade costume documentation and primary-source artifact handling entirely free of charge.
manufactured in Paris
As a Lunenburg resident and a professional member of the Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia and The Writers’ Union of Canada (TWUC), my work focuses on the documentation of material culture. I am the author and photographer of five traditionally published books in this field, including 1,000 Hats. My retrospective millinery fashion shows at St. John’s Anglican Church and at several retirement residences across the Halifax area have been very well received.
No previous museum or archival experience is required to join this project, though spaces are strictly limited to ensure the safe handling of the collection.
To learn more or apply for a spot in our working cohort, interested parties can contact me directly at normafreda@gmail.com.