Hidden Treasures
Archives Help Businesses Learn from Mistakes()
January 16, 2006 The documents, products and records a company keeps in its archive help it to create institutional memories — good and bad. Nike turns to shoes in its archives to be reminded of past successes and failures.
Mrs. Parmeter's Puzzling Klan Quilt()
September 27, 2005 A blue-and-white quilt at a Washington state museum has an unusual and mysterious story behind it. Made in 1928, the quilt includes cloth from discarded Ku Klux Klan masks.
Harvard's Indispensable Specimens()
August 10, 2005 The back rooms at a Harvard University museum are filled with millions of items that will never be displayed. But curators just can't bring themselves to throw anything away.
Mechanical Musical Marvels Play On in Museum()
June 7, 2005 The Morris Museum is home to one of the world's largest collections of mechanical musical instruments and automatons, some of which date to the early 16th century.
A Gruesome Stroll Through Medical History()
May 16, 2005 The National Museum of Health and Medicine in D.C. is not for the squeamish. Founded in 1862, the museum displays everything from a large human hairball to skull fragments from Abraham Lincoln.
Opening the 'Public Vaults' of the National Archives()
March 8, 2005 A new exhibit reveals some of more unusual pieces of American history contained in the vaults of the National Archives. Items include Albert Einstein's immigration papers.
Vice Presidential Artifacts()
January 19, 2005 A portrait of Spiro Agnew — done entirely in bird feathers — is part of the nation's hidden treasures.
Gifts Fit for a President ()
October 20, 2004 Every American president receives gifts from fans and foreign dignitaries, but as Harriet Baskas reports for Hidden Treasures, an occasional series on All Things Considered, some of the most precious and peculiar ones never get displayed.
Warhol's Ongoing Work of Art()
September 8, 2004 When Andy Warhol died in 1987 he left hundreds of sealed and dated boxes full of trash and treasure. The time capsules are opened periodically by the Warhol Museum. Harriet Baskas reports.
A Museum for the Mob()
May 21, 2004 The mayor of Las Vegas is proposing a museum exploring the history of organized crime's involvement in the building of the city. Opponents point out that coming up with material to display might be tough given the mob is known for covering its tracks. Harriet Baskas reports in this installment of "Hidden Treasures."
