Who are we?
Welcome to This Belongs in a Museum!
We're just a couple of history nerds who run museums and want to give YOU a chance to be a curator too! We all have cool stuff in our house, but how often do you have an opportunity to share it and its story? This is your chance to tell us why "This Belongs in a Museum"
This program is a casual show and tell. We meet at bars and other venues and let you share the interesting things and stories that belong to you. As museum professionals we record these stories and objects to help tell the story of us and all the interesting things there are in Knoxville. Your object your become preserved in a digital museum collection and exhibited online for all to see
Interested in having your things in a museum? Read our Rules and FAQ and be sure to follow our social media for calendars and updates for you chance to share your story!
How to Participate in
This Belongs in a Museum
Everyone is welcome! Observe, listen, and enjoy. Come see the objects and hear their stories, even if you don’t have something to share.
Have something to show-and-tell about? Read on!
1) Bring an object with you. Preferably it should be easy to be carried on stage and frankly fit through the door. We suppose you can bring an imaginary object, but that might be on the stranger side. Objects that would fit X x Y light box are ideal so we can make sure they can be photographed and added to the digital collection.
2) Fill out the “accession” form to get your name on the list to present. Presenters are chosen at random.
3) You have five minutes to talk. You can’t talk for more, but you can talk for less than five minutes. Actually we strongly suggest you talk for less.
What should you say?? Perhaps...
What you brought, even if it is obvious.
What museum would you put this object in?
What museum would you put this object in?
What it’s story?
Why you think this belongs in museum?
4) Once you are done we’ll take a picture of your thing, give your thing an object number for the digital archive, and put it on our website so you can show your friends!
FAQ
What should I bring?
Honestly, you can bring just about anything. The only condition it has to be important to you. And try to avoid bringing something that someone has brought before. We can only take so much 1982 World’s Fair kitsch before we compete with the Sweet P’s for biggest collection.
A few guidelines though. Please do not bring any potentially derogatory, hazardous, or illegal materials including firearms, explosives, and biohazards that are likely to start the end of humanity as we know it. Also NO living animals.
Does my object have to be valuable?
We give our stuff value. Monetary value is subject to the whims of the market, but the things we keep and display for others in our homes are valuable because they have meaning to YOU. It could be a family heirloom, a souvenir from a memorable trip, or something that continues to travel around from home to home for reasons only known to you. All that matters is that you bring an object you think should go in a museum because it tells a story about who you or we are.
What should I say?
Tell us a story why you think your thing is neat. Stories can be ones that make us laugh or cry or are just about the normal, everyday. We like them all. Shy or need to brush on your public speaking skills? Don't worry, we'll have a handy prompt of open questions to assist you with your story. All are welcome.
No storytelling experience is needed either. In fact, we love short unrehearsed stories. Speak from heart, shoot from the hip, speak extemporaneously, read from notecards—whatever style you feel most comfortable is fine with us. Just get up on stage, and keep it less than five minutes.
