Museum Exhibit
Fabrication : Customs Service Exhibit
Client:
National Park Service Salem Maritime Museum, Salem, Massachusetts
"Customs Service Exhibit"
There has been a Custom house in Salem, Massachusetts
since 1649, when the British were collecting taxes on foreign
goods. U.S. Customs were established in 1789 and this building,
maintained by the National Park Service, was one of thirteen
to house their offices. This last Custom House in Salem
houses a museum with a replica of the original Eagle cupola
inlaid in table legs and our conservation cases showing
the tools of the trade, from a nine foot tall dock scale
to a standard yard, which was used to determine the volume
in barrels. Artifact mounts enable the visitor to more
easily view these tools. A better understanding of their
usage is further enhanced by the labeling system and the
incorporation of graphics.