Welcome to the Hands On Diary – documenting the ‘Hands on the Past’ project in real time by the hands-on team! This first blog is written by Emma.

Hello – this is my first blog post for the Hands on the Past @ CSI: Sittingbourne project! My name is Emma and I am one of the Conservation & Public Engagement interns. This blog is to keep everyone updated and clued up with what’s going on.

This project and I – along with two other interns – are new to CSI: Sittingbourne. Dana secured an amazing piece of funding from the Movement for Good campaign. 

SETTING UP THE STUDIO

The first day I arrived at CSI, the studio was bare – no shelving or tables and a mismatch of colours on the walls. We spent the first day painting the walls with a fresh coat of paint. The next week, Oli and Ewan hauled the tables into the spaces ready for us to cover them.

DIY is the name of the game at the moment. New shelves to store and display objects are currently being constructed. 

The CSI lab filled with stuff - three large table at the centre covered with monitors, microscopes, paper, stationery. Glass display cases are full of objects. A standing loom leans to one side. Old posters are on the walls.
How it started – the CSI lab before any work had taken place. (December 2021)
The same space mostly empty, but for some office chairs and workbench. Towards the back there is a glass wall that opens into the new lab space which contains a desk and shelves.
How it’s going – The space after painting and moving out the old and bringing in the new – the glass wall replaced the brown boards in the above view. (February 2022)

After some careful rearranging, everyone (regardless of mobility) will be able to move along the side of the studio to see objects on the table. This project is about giving everyone the opportunity to learn about the stories of the past through different objects. 

Now the conservation work can begin!

MICROSCOPE DEMO

Keyence is a company that sell digital microscopes. They kindly came to give us a demonstration of how their digital microscopes work. This was an opportunity for us to see some of the objects for the first time up close and in colour!

Microscope photograph of a gold brooch showing lots of detailed ridges and bumps, worn down with age
Circular metal brooch with symmetrical design of red gemstones in concentric circles
Microscope close-up of a brooch, showing tiny details of flaking metals and the cut marks in the red gemstone
Black and white graph shows a haphazard up and down line which represents the bumps and indents of the brooch, pictured above it. It is a circular metal brooch with intricate gold swirls made up of individual bumps, and four symmetrical gemstones and one at the centre.
Microscope close-up of a brooch, showing tiny details of flaking metals and circular patterns of gold bumps.
Five people around a desk computer and the Keyence microscope, looking at the monitor. On it, there is a microscopic close-up of some fibres.
Dana and the HOTP team (and our artist-in-residence – more on that in a later blog!) watching a demo of the Keyence microscope

WHAT’S NEXT?

Once the DIY is wrapped up, we will be opening our doors every Monday and Thursday. 

I look forward to keeping you updated through these blog posts. 

Want to know more or get involved? Leave us a comment or get in touch!

Next blog | MEET THE HANDS ON THE PAST PROJECT TEAM

Unknown's avatar

Published by CSI: Sittingbourne

Community conservation lab in Sittingbourne, Kent

Leave a comment