This is directed to museums that hold ancient and not so ancient Native American objects, including funerary items, as part of the collection or in safe-keeping for Native groups; though anyone can respond. 

Almost a year ago, I was contacted by 4 different paranormal groups who wanted to come late at night to do readings and filming in the museum. I was uneasy about letting them in and just about the time that I was feeling a little bombarded and told them ‘no’, Dave Harvey offered his on-line paranormal course. I signed up and now better understand just what paranormal investigators do, what they may want to do with the findings, and how I can allow or restrict what they share (thanks again, Dave). He shared articles and policies and I’ve been working on our policy, as part of our use of museum by outside groups policy, that I’d like to finish this week. 

However, I’m still a little concerned and our curator has some strong concerns. The curator and I have both previously worked in museums where there is an agreement about who can access these kinds of objects and how they are handled; even how one should behave when in their presence. The curator’s concerns have to do with respect and sensitivity of the objects and the ancestors themselves. The hill on which Lost City Museum sits is an excavated Ancestral Puebloan site so there were living quarters and burials here. The artifacts on display and in storage were found in the excavations along the river that runs through the valley. 

I’d like to know how other museums address this kind of request. Do you have a museum use policy specifically addressing paranormal groups?

Jerrie

Jerrie Clarke
Director
Lost City Museum
PO Box 807
Overton, NV 89040
(702) 397-2193

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