Announcing the launch of a new on-line collections database that will give unprecedented access to many of the catalogued records that comprise the Cemetery’s Historical Collections & Archives. “People often have no idea what a cemetery would collect and preserve,” says Curator Meg L. Winslow. “The public will now be able to access a wide range of historic images to learn more about the history of Mount Auburn and the dramatic changes through time of our extraordinary landscape.”

While the on-line database includes more than 2,000 records to date, it represents less than 5 percent of our catalogued collections. A great way to get started is by selecting the “Random Images” tab, which pulls up a selection of catalog images from the Photographs, Objects, Archives, and Libraries collections. Users of the easy-to-navigate site can also make specific searches for the Entrance Gateway, Asa Gray Garden, Bigelow Chapel, and Washington Tower, among others. In addition, there are searches for keywords such as monument, horticulture, and tree; as well as for people by name.

Historical Collections staff have played essential roles in producing the site with Winslow. Elizabeth Casner recommends one of her favorite searches: “visitor,” which retrieves the variety of images illustrating the many visitors to the Cemetery from early days to the present. “Having the collections accessible online,” Thom Burns notes, “will allow people around the world to engage with our history and the many stories of our residents.”  

Visitors are encouraged to explore the site and to return often as new records continue to be published.

To visit: mountauburn.pastperfectonline.com.