This year, the Arden Craft Shop Museum had three representatives at the Small Museum Association Conference. Barbara and Sadie, two of the Museum & Archives Committee members, and Kelsey, our Curator & Archivist, all attended the three-day, 1980s-themed conference in Ocean City, MD.

There were a number of fantastic workshops and presentations, and all three agreed that they learned something during each one. One of the most informative was one by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania's Jack McCarthy and Celia Caust-Ellenbogen. They gave a lot of advice for small museums dealing with their "hidden" archival collections--of which we are one!

The ACSM also put together a basket of goodies for the silent raffle, and quite a number of people bid on it. Looks like we'll be having some new guests in the coming weeks as they come to redeem their walking tours!

Overall, it was a great conference, and we are already looking forward to next year. Anyone interested in attending can find more information here.

Russian Reconstruction Farms, Inc. was formed in the 1920s to address the growing famine in Russia. Dozens of United States citizens with a background in farming (or not) packed six months' worth of supplies up and moved to Russia. There, they set up a demonstration farm school, where famine prevention was to be taught, and an agricultural service center, where a machine shop would ensure that farm equipment remained in good condition for efficient production. Among the citizens were some of the Ardens own, including Don Stephens, Harold Ware, and Edward Woolery.

The Arden Craft Shop Museum has a number of articles and pamphlets regarding the RRF in its collection. The XXII Winter Olympic Games take place in Sochi, Russia this month, and it seems fitting to  showcase a piece in our collection that reveals how residents of the Ardens have long sought, like the Olympic Games, to connect people from across the globe.

Due to the icy conditions on the roads, the ACSM will be closed tonight. Stay safe and warm, and we'll see you on Sunday between 1 and 3 pm!