Registrars to the Rescue
Registrars to the Rescue (R2R) is held in conjunction with the Washington Museum Association’s Annual Conference. In partnership with Art Work Fine Art Services, R2R brings together a team of experienced registrars and collections professionals to support a host museum or museums with collections projects.
Over the course of a single day, volunteers contribute their expertise to complete work that can be difficult for museums to complete with limited staff time. Projects often include inventorying collections, conducting condition reports, and rehousing objects.
Beyond the direct impact on participating museums, R2R offers a meaningful opportunity for professional collaboration, skill-sharing, and networking among peers in the field. Whether attending the full conference or joining for the day, participants gain valuable experience while strengthening connections within Washington’s museum community.
Questions?
Contact Rebecca Engelhardt email, rengelhardt@museumofglass.org or Call 253.284.4705
WaMA Registrars to the Rescue Committee
c/o Rebecca Engelhardt
Museum of Glass
1801 Dock Street
Tacoma, WA 98402
2025
Lake Chelan Museum
Chelan
2024
Lelooska Foundation
Ariel
One of the larger gatherings in the history of R2R, fifteen members of Lelooska Foundation staff, volunteers, and family hosted fourteen R2R volunteers representing regions across Washington (Seattle, Tacoma, Kelso, Vancouver, Ellensburg, Spokane) AND individuals from Oregon and even representing Baltimore, MD!
The team completed over 100 condition reports of works on display in their museum and completed four very complex mounts for garments on display.
2024
Two Rivers Museum
Washougal
Seven volunteers processed 25 quilts and 5 dresses (cataloging, condition reporting, and rehousing).
2022
Lewis Army Museum
JBLM
Rehoused 20 linear feet of the 9th Infantry Division Archives (one of the organization’s most used resources)
2022
Bigelow House Museum
Olympia
Rehoused 100 garments, cataloged seven boxes of hats, and rehoused and inventoried two linear feet of sheet music.
2019
Jundt Art Museum
Gonzaga University
Spokane
2018
Skagit County Historical Museum
Mount Vernon
Conducted inventory and photographed artifacts stored at the museum’s off-site storage area.
2018
Pacific Northwest Quilt & Fiber Arts Museum
Mount Vernon
Inventoried and rehoused artifacts from museum’s collection of maps.
2017
Wanapum Heritage Center
Mattawa
Volunteers created storage mounts for Native American ethnographic artifacts, completed condition reports, took photographs, and readjusted storage housing.
2017
Quincy Valley Historical Society & Museum
Quincy
Volunteers inventoried collection items in the 1904 Reiman-Simmons House.
2016
Scandinavian Cultural Center
Pacific Lutheran University
Tacoma
Completed condition reports and rehoused traditional Norwegian folk costumes.
2016
Tacoma Historical Society
Tacoma
Completed inventory of collection storage and rehoused textiles and fragile documents.
2015
Mayhill Museum of Art
Goldendale
Prepared objects for relocation to Brim Family Research Center by using mount making skills reviewed at workshop.
2014
Jefferson County Historical Society
Port Townsend
Completed condition reports, constructed new mounts, and relocated the Victorian-era ontological collection.
2013
Clymer Museum & Gallery
Ellensburg
Completed condition reports and relocated the painting collection to the new storage area.
2012
Karshner Museum
Puyallup
Completed condition reports for 50 items in the Native American collection.