The Kelsey Museum is closed, not only to the public but also to staff and students, who are working remotely. Our dedicated and outstanding security staff will remain on-site and continue to monitor the building and collections for safety. Two of our security officers have been assigned to the University Hospital for the time being. Our custodian, Charlie, has been working up to the last minute possible to make sure the building is safe and clean. Classes at the university have gone remote, and our faculty curators continue to teach remotely using a variety of technologies; staff and curators continue to meet as needed using the same remote methods, and we're providing information and images in response to queries from scholars, students, and the public as best as we can in the circumstances. The university has remained a strong source of support.
Although the museum is closed, we are taking advantage of this time to get caught up on long-deferred projects and to plan new ones. We're also using this enforced time away to think about how we can best use the museum's online presence to reach and serve our audiences. Our Education and Outreach team is working on new online resources and activities that we will post as they become available, and you can always check out our online collections and exhibitions. The Kelsey Museum's physical building may be closed, but our artifacts are always available on our website.
The Kelsey Museum has been able to contribute to the present crisis in unexpected ways. An urgent call for supplies from the University Hospital led to the museum donating over 11,000 nitrile gloves, normally used in the museum to protect artifacts in handling. They will now go to protect healthcare workers and patients.
This is a difficult time for all of us. Be safe, be healthy, and be kind to one another. We will get through this, and we look forward to the day when we can welcome you back to the Kelsey Museum's physical space. Until then, enjoy our online exhibitions and collections, and think of them as a reminder of how resilient and persistent the human spirit is, and has been for thousands of years.
