Genk (Brussels Morning Newspaper): A slide collection was discovered at Bokrik, Belgium’s open-air museum, revealing valuable historical insights. Curator Hilde Schoefs emphasized its importance, while the museum seeks acid-free slide frames for preservation. The collection includes images from various European open-air museums. Donations of frames are welcome to aid in this effort.
A slide collection has been found in a closet at Bokrijk, a famous open-air museum in Belgium that showcases Flemish culture. Curator Hilde Schoefs mentioned that the staff knew the collection existed but didn’t know what it contained or how many slides there were. The slides were not a priority because the team was busy digitizing other parts of the museum’s image archive, like original photos and negatives.
What treasures will Bokrik’s slide collection reveal?
After completing their main project, the museum team at Bokrijk turned their attention to the slide collection. While sorting through the slides, they discovered much more than they had expected. Curator Hilde Schoefs noted that this previously overlooked collection became a valuable source of information, enriching Bokrijk’s historical resources. This process highlighted the importance of revisiting stored collections, which can often reveal hidden historical treasures.
According to Schoefs, the pictures are not just from the Open Air Museum but also show buildings and crafts from other open-air museums in Europe. The International Association of Open Air Museums was started in 1966 by Jozef Weyens, and Bokrijk has been an active member. They take photos of different techniques and buildings at meetings held every two years. The museum is looking for empty slide frames to store the slides safely and needs them to be acid-free, dark, and cool. They are looking for sizes like 55 by 41 millimeters, 55 by 55 millimeters, 122 by 98 millimeters, and 139 by 98 millimeters.
Bokrijk is working hard to digitize and protect old slides for the future, according to chairman Igor Philtjens. They need empty slide frames, with or without glass, in different sizes to store these slides properly. If people have any empty slide frames at home, they can donate them to help preserve history for future generations. They can send a message to Bokrijk or visit them, and the Open Air Museum is open during the fall break.
