Topic of The Week:
From Water to Museum: Maritime Conservation and Artifact Preservation
Step into the world of conservation science and discover what happens to objects that have spent years underwater. Guided by museum curator Madeline Crispell, participants will explore how maritime artifacts are recovered, preserved, and prepared for display. This week introduces the science behind protecting history, from preventing decay to restoring fragile materials exposed to water, salt, and time.
Program Highlights:
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Explore Conservation Science: Learn how water impacts materials like wood, metal, and textiles, and how scientists and museums work to preserve artifacts recovered from underwater environments.
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Career Exploration: Discover exciting careers such as maritime archaeologist, museum curator, and conservation scientist, and see how STEM plays a role in preserving cultural and environmental history.
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Engage with a Female Mentor: Connect with an inspiring woman in maritime conservation and museum curation who will share her experience preserving underwater artifacts and bringing history to life through science and storytelling.
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Maritime Discovery Experience: Explore the connection between Lake Michigan and maritime history while learning how artifacts are discovered, studied, and interpreted to tell stories about life on the water.
Session 4: July 13-16 M-Th 9am-4pm
Meet Your Mentor
Madeline Crispell
Curator - Chicago Maritime Museum
Madeline has been the curator of the Chicago Maritime Museum since September of 2023, where she's curated exhibitions on architectural photography and the Black Chicago impressionist James Bolivar Needham, among others. Before the Chicago Maritime Museum, she was involved in curatorial projects across Chicago, including an exhibition for the Historic Pullman Foundation on neighborhood preservation, for the History Center of Lake Forest and Lake Bluff on the Thorne Miniature Rooms and the history of miniatures, and for the Newberry Library on American travel.
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She holds a Masters degree from the Bard Graduate Center in Decorative Arts, Design History, and Material Culture. Between conservation science and environmental history, she often works at the intersection of STEM and the humanities.
Meet Your Mentor
Madeline Crispell
Curator - Chicago Maritime Museum
Maddie is a bilingual environmental science communicator with a strong background in nature education. She is passionate about the intersections of disciplines, specifically when conservation intersects with design and social justice. When she isn't free time I am an avid birder, with the green heron being one of my favorite feathered river critters.
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