Hi, Lisa --

Has anyone checked local newspapers to see if there was an article about the time capsule that dates from the time it was buried?  Another source of info about the contents would be school yearbooks or minutes of School Board meetings if the time capsule is on school property.  

Try doing a google search on "time capsule" and you'll pull up more articles about opening old ones and creating new ones than you'll have time to read.  There are manufacturers of time capsules that will sell you products likely to survive most disasters.  Depending on the state of the contents, one popular inclusion in the new capsule would be a well-preserved item from the original capsule. 

You will need to verify the location of the capsule before creating a big event and finding nothing. Remember Geraldo Rivera
(sp?) and the vault --  he eventually lived that down but it's something a local historical society and school board would long be remembered for by anyone living in the area.  If you can verify the actual burial, the next fact you'd want to verify was what kind of container the items were buried in -- are you going to have to force a safe open or a cash register box or open a hat box.  

People involved should be wearing gloves and possibly those masks that allergy sufferers sometimes use esp. if mold is a problem in your area. If you're in Burlington County, New Jersey (the only Burlington County wikipedia found) your terrain is characterized as an area of "coastal and alluvial plain with little relief." You need to consider the possibility that you will be excavating water-logged materials which should stay wet until conservators with expertise dealing with such items can help.  

It would be a good idea to check with cultural and heritage organizations in your region to see what they've faced when excavating time capsules of similar vintage and from similar soils (your county extension agent should be able to help with the soils question). 

Good luck -- sounds like a fun project.

Judy Turner
Whitefish Bay, WI


--- On Wed, 7/9/08, Lisa <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> From: Lisa <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: [MUSEUM-L] Time Capsule
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Date: Wednesday, July 9, 2008, 2:12 PM
> Hi all:
> 
> We have been approached by our local school board for
> assistance in the opening of a time capsule and the
> creation of another.  The time capsule was buried circa
> 1920 and the contents are unknown.  They want to know of
> potential hazards or precautions that need to be taken for
> the opening.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated. 
> 
> Thanks, 
> Lisa Fox-Pfeiffer 
> Executive Director
> Burlington County Historical Society


      

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