Inland Seas Institute

It was time to remove of the identification tag put in place sometime after the object was recovered in the 1960s. The brass plate now has an accession number that Mackinac State Historic Parks will use to keep track of the object in its collection.

Ever wonder why museum professionals always wear gloves when handling metal objects? Oil containg acids, lipids, proteins, and sugars coat the surface of our hands. When we touch metal, that oil transfers to the object. If not cleaned immediately, the oil transfer can create a localized corrosion that etches the object's surface into the shape of a dark colored fingerprint or palmprint. The photos below show two such examples that were found on the W. H. BARNUM Engine Plate during the conservation assessment. After the conservation treatment is complete, this object will only be handled with gloves and housed in a climate controlled environment to preserve this historic object for the enjoyment of all visitors to the Mackinac State Historic Parks Shipwreck Museum for many years to come.