Week 6

   On February 7, 2024, I was asked by one of my supervisors to work at the museum the following day in the afternoon because the majority of the staff would be out. The following day, I had a visitor that wanted to donate primary sources to the museum. The museum is very selective about the items they receive for display. This is because the museum’s main focus is attached to military history that has a connection with Florida. The person donated different military medals, and old newspapers. In order for the museum to receive a donation, the person making the donation needs to fill out a form, signifying that they acknowledge to donate items to the museum. For legal purposes, and so that people do not want to re-take items they have donated, the museum requires that people making donations sign this specific form. Once I located the correct form for the guests to sign, and received their donations, I took the primary sources to the second floor for the museum staff to review.

    On Thursdays, the museum is open to the Veterans Administration for counseling and support for the Military Veterans. After one of the veterans completed his appointment, he asked me if I would be able to give him a tour of the museum. This was the first tour that I gave at the museum. I felt confident to provide a tour because of my experience of listening in previous tours. I could not complete the entire tour of the museum because the gates of the road that lead to the museum lock at a certain time, and the museum closes before five in the afternoon. I was able to give a tour only of the entire first floor of the museum, however I told the Veteran that he is always welcome to return.

     On Friday, February 16, I was tasked with expanding the Vietnam War Exhibit. The museum wanted to add more information on 2nd Lieutenant Louis Carricarte. He crashed in a plane crash in Vietnam and the museum wants to add more information on his duty during the Vietnam War. I printed three pictures that relate to his military service. I also printed a letter to Luis’s mother regarding his death. After I printed out the pictures, we cut the edges of the paper and placed the pictures in the display case. Lieutenant Carricarte is significant to our museum because he was the first Cuban American to die during the Vietnam War.

     After this I needed to finish setting up the museum’s Square Account, in order for the museum to receive online payment from visitors. Setting up the account took time because there is personal information from the museum that needs to be added to the account. The museum is currently only receiving cash. This project might take a couple of weeks to officially complete.

    The museum purchased extra pictures to put on display. I helped set up two of the pictures by the elevator, so when people enter and exit the elevator, they are able to look at the images. Prior to this, the downstairs wall in front of the elevator was vacant. We used adhesive Velcro straps to attach the pictures, which is better than drilling, because it does not damage the wall structurally.

    Lastly, the museum wanted to place a military helmet in one of the display rooms for people to try on. I had to remove an adhesive plaque on the wall to make space for the future stand for the helmet. This is a summary of my tasks that I completed during my last three days at the museum.