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The Collections
• Current Projects
• Boyd Gate House
• Library and Archives
• History Collection
• Photograph Collection
• Recent Gifts to the Collection
• Brady Collection
Current
Projects
The Museum’s collection continues to grow thanks to the support
and donations of community members and local historical organizations.
Our new collections facility includes improved climate-controlled
storage, more space to house important objects and archival collections.
The Museum is actively working with the community to expand its
collections to represent all aspects of Marin County’s history
and diverse population.
Current Collections Department projects include:
- Photographing and digitizing the collection
- Improving storage conditions
- Assessing additional objects’ conservation needs
Implementing these projects will make our holdings more accessible
to curators, researchers and the public. Maintaining and updating
our collections and records with current technology (i.e., digital
images, barcodes) will help the museum exceed current professional
conservation standards.
A Temporary Home for MHM’s
Collection
In August 2005, the Marin History Museum successfully moved its entire
collection out of the Boyd Gate House and into a climate-controlled
facility. This rented
facility provides much needed space for storage and curatorial
work. The Boyd Gate
House continues to be used for programs, exhibits and meeting
space. Eventually, the Gate House will be restored and interpreted
as a Victorian home.
Finding a temporary space for the Museum’s collection had
become critical over the years. Without the ability to control
temperature and moisture throughout the year, most types of materials
were at risk in the Boyd Gate House. As the collection grew, our
storage space shrank. Bedrooms, bathrooms and closets were packed
tight with boxes and furniture, making it difficult to access most
of the collection without risking damage to the artifacts.
Moving thousands of objects of all shapes and sizes was no small
task. The move went very smoothly, thanks to the expertise of Farnsworth
Express, the support of volunteers, interns and board members,
and in-kind donations from local businesses. This project has also
provided a test-run for the eventual move into a new building.
The Museum’s collection exists so that we may explore and share
our history. Proper care and careful planning will ensure long lives
for the irreplacable artifacts, photos and documents. The collection
continues to grow, thanks to community members like you who recognize
that our history is contained in the everyday objects that tell our
stories.
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The Boyd Gate House
The Museum is currently located in the Boyd Gate House in Boyd Park,
San Rafael, California. This historic landmark was built in 1879
and was the former guesthouse of John and Louise Boyd. Their family
home was Maple Lawn, the much larger estate next door, which is
currently the home of the San Rafael Elks Club. The Gate House was
given to the city of San Rafael in 1905 by the Boyd family in memory
of their two young sons, Seth and John, who died as children. The
Boyd Gate House has served as the Museum’s home since 1959
and eventually will be restored as a period home. Click
here for more on the history of the Boyd Gate House.
Library and Archives
The Museum’s library and archives contain rare books, published
and unpublished manuscripts, ephemera, documents, newspapers and
maps related to or descriptive of the county’s land as well
as the cultural and historical experiences of the people of Marin
county. The library also maintains the Marin History Museum’s
Oral History video collection. The library and archives aim to serve
researchers, scholars and community members by providing assisted
access to these materials. Click here
for more information about using the Museum’s library and
archives.
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History Collection
Overview
The Museum’s history collection represents the cultural and
historical experiences of the people, communities and land use of
Marin County, past and present. The collection’s scope ranges
through time and is representative of the many phases of Marin’s
social, political and cultural development. The collection is comprised
of utilitarian items and fine art including maps, paintings, furniture,
tools, household objects and clothing. Although there is a strong
emphasis on 19th and 20th century history, the museum holds items
related to the Spanish Mission period, the Mexican Land Grants era,
World War Two shipyards, as well as contemporary pieces related
to modern-day Marin. Objects in the collection are maintained for
their historical relevance and educational value, and represent
the cornerstone of our exhibits.
The strength and heart of the collection lies in its connection
to the local citizens, innovators, families, businesses and industries
of Marin. The Collection features items from the 1906 Earthquake,
two World Fairs, the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge, Marinship,
Hamilton Field, Louise Arner Boyd (arctic explorer), Northwest Pacific
Railroad and Ferry Company and San Quentin Prison. Some unique items
in our collection include a 17th century Spanish sword, the Verdenal
pioneer journal, Louise Arner Boyd’s expedition snowshoes
and artwork made by San Quentin inmates.
Charmstone
Decorative and Fine Arts Collection
The Museum’s Decorative and Fine Arts Collection includes
a rare assembly of 18th century portraits of land grant recipients,
their family members and early land owners. Portraits include Ignacio
Pacheco (1808 – 1864) of the Rancho de San Jose land
grant (now the city of Ignacio), John Joseph Reed (1837 –
1899) of the Rancho Corte Madera del Presidio land grant
(now the city of Corte Madera) and John Lucas ( 18?? – 1897)
of the Rancho Santa Margarita land grant (now Lucas Valley).
The Decorative and Fine Arts Collection also includes early renderings
of the original Spanish Mission San Rafael Arcángel, a rare
Bard Brothers painting of the Steamship Saucelito (c. 1880s)
and a collection of Wedgwood and Victorian furniture.
Clothing and Textile Collection
The Museum’s Clothing and Textile Collection ranges from mid-1800s
pioneer clothing to contemporary fashions. This collection also
includes a variety of handmade quilts and wedding dresses from the
early 1900s. Also in the collection are men’s and children’s
clothing and women’s accessories from the 19th and 20th centuries
such as hats, shoes, handbags, fans and gloves.
Business, Industry and Transportation Collection
The Museum’s Business, Industry and Transportation Collection
is an important part of the larger history collection and is representative
of the growth of Marin County up to the present day. Items related
to early business in Marin include silverware and a tea service
from the Hotel Rafael and an 1860s safe from the Short Ranch. Industries
highlighted within the collection include the U.S. military presence
at the Marin Headlands, the Marinship shipyard, the Mount Tamalpais
“Gravity” Railroad and the Northwest Pacific Railroad
and Ferry Company.
Domestic and Household Collection
Home and family life in Marin continues to be as rich and diverse
as the history of the county’s population, industry and land
use. The Domestic and Household Collection has a strong emphasis
on turn of the century ranching, pioneering and dairy farming, but
also represents Victorian urban living. This collection ranges in
scope from well-used washboards and spinning wheels to precious
phonographs, silver serving pieces and china dolls. The Collection
explores ever-changing household technology from butter churns to
butter boxes; from spinning wheels to sewing machines; from gas
lamps to electric chandeliers and from heavy iron clothing irons
to electric travel irons.
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Photograph Collection
The Museum’s photograph collection includes prints, negatives,
glass plate negatives, film and digital images of people, landscape,
structures and events related to Marin County. Selected prints are
available for purchase. Click here for
more information about using the Museum’s library and photo
archives.
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Bicyclist at Mt. Tamalpais Tavern, c. 1900.
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