The Sint Maarten National Heritage Foundation & Museum has received funding from the Mondriaan Fund to support the digitisation of its historical collections.
With this support, the museum has been able to purchase specialised equipment, such as a special scanner, to carefully scan and preserve fragile archival materials. This also includes new computers, audiovisual playback and conversion equipment for cassettes, VHS tapes and photo film rolls, as well as hard drives for backups. Together, these tools strengthen the museum’s ability to properly safeguard and manage its collections.
Pictured here is one of our new scanners in use, digitising an original ledger from the Salt Company on Sint Maarten. The records date back to 1859, and the open page documents the transportation of salt in 1867, an original historical record that directly documents the island’s salt trade and economic activity during that period.
Historical researcher, Jean-Marc Augusty, with the help of volunteers, has begun scanning the materials at the museum. While this process will take time, it is important work towards long-term preservation of these records. Digitising these materials not only protects them from further wear and tear but also ensures that documents and other historical materials remain accessible to the people of Sint Maarten and beyond.
