We all agree that the material culture evidence held by museums and historical societies is critical in
understanding our pasts. Objects speak for individuals whose lives were not documented in other
ways, and can speak emotions unavailable in the written record. The volume of material culture
produced today is more sizable than ever. Which leads to two unanswered question: How well are
our collections policies at museums and historical societies working? And are we collecting the
material culture evidence that will help future historians interpret the lives of early 21st-century
Americans.