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Creating a Preservation Time Capsule
Written by Heather Tudhope
originally for the Art Conservation Center at the University of Denver
and the Colorado Preservation Alliance
Why Create a Preservation Time Capsule?
Time capsules are created to commemorate special events such as church, school or town centennial, the raising of a building, or the dawning of a new millennium. Survival of the items held within the capsule is dependent on the physical quality of the materials selected, the structure of the container, and the documentation of the event, contents, and location to retain a memory of its existence.
Many preservation concerns must be considered when preparing a time capsule.
What To Include In A Time Capsule
The goal of a typical time capsule is to share with the future unique aspects of our lives. We have no idea what items will provide the most valuable historic record, but we should remember that those items already being archived (for example, newspapers, currency, birth/citizenship records) can be accessed elsewhere and likely will be in better condition. The sublime and the trivial, rather than the obvious, may prove to be the artifacts of most interest and value. As you select materials based on relevance to the project, assess each item for preservation concerns and readability.
Ask the following questions when choosing items for the capsule:
Is the piece relevant to the mission of the capsule?
Will it survive and can measures be taken to preserve the piece for capsule storage?
Will it be readable when the capsule is opened?
Does the piece require special equipment to make it readable?
Remember digital images stored on floppy disks or compact disks (CDs) will not be readable in a hundred or a thousand years, although they may still be readable in ten to fifteen years, depending on how quickly technology changes.
The following materials have a higher degree of stability. Other less stable materials can be included in a capsule; however, proper preparation is required.
archival paper (papers with a 3% calcium carbonate buffer, that are sulfur free and lignin free, have a high alpha-cellulose content or are 100% rag)
cotton
polyester
fiber-based black and white photographs (archival processing with gold, selenium, or polysulfide toning)
Cibachrome prints (if color photographs are required)
polyester-based black and white negatives
stone
stable metals (e.g., gold, platinum)
glass, ceramics (these must be well padded)
Archival inks
Watercolors
Photocopies on archival paper (black toner only, no color)
What Not To Include In A Time Capsule
Avoid including unstable items that may release gas or deteriorate. If you do choose to include any such items, be sure to place them within a sealed, non-permeable enclosure, preferably with an oxygen scavenger, to isolate them and prevent harm to other objects.
rubber
non-archival plastics (e.g., PVC, PVAC)
fasteners (e.g., paper clips or other types of clips, twist ties, staples, rubber bands, pins)
acidic papers (e.g., wood pulp based, newsprint)
thermal facsimiles
diazzo, cellulose nitrate, or acetate film
color prints or negatives (these fade in dark storage)
unstable metals (e.g., copper, brass, iron, lead)
electronic media that require a machine (e.g., CDs, video/audio tape, magnetic disks, software or files)
wool, hair, fur
foodstuffs
wood (especially oak)
Are There Special Preparation Measures?
The following preservation supplies can be useful for preparing time capsule contents. These items are available through mail-order suppliers listed below:
cotton gloves for clean handling
acid-free papers (e.g., envelops, folders, writing paper, journals)
graphite pencil (for archival marking)
polyethylene/polyester boxes, bags, sleeves
acid-free tissue (for wrapping, padding, and interleaving)
oxygen replacement/scavengers to slow oxidation and hydrolysis reactions that degrade materials (e.g., gasses- nitrogen, argon, or “Ageless”)
deacidification spray (e.g., Wei T’O, Bookkeeper)
silica gel (desiccant bags)
Be sure all items are clean and insect free. Use cotton gloves when preparing materials for enclosure.
Choose archival paper materials over acidic papers such as newsprint. Archival photocopies can be used or acidic originals can be spray deacidified to neutralize acids (consult a paper conservator).
Avoid folding paper documents as creases can result in fracture. For cylindrical capsules, roll documents loosely. For other materials that are already folded, such as textiles, pad folds with acid-free tissue.
Interleave photographs or sleeve them with archival photo envelopes to keep emulsions from sticking together.
Avoid etching and corrosion of metals by degreasing them with acetone and only handle them while wearing clean cotton gloves.
If electronic devices are placed in the capsule, do not include batteries. Include information about battery, voltage, and current requirements, as well as instructions for use. Wrap devices in tissue and seal in polyethylene.
Prepare the contents of the capsule in a cool, dry, environment. To maintain the capsule’s dry environment, condition silica gel to a low humidity level. This procedure should be carried out immediately prior to sealing the capsule. As a general rule of thumb, one-fifth of the capsule’s volume should contain silica gel conditioned by heating for approximately eight hours at 150°C. Place silica gel in a linen bag to isolate it from other objects.
Reducing the amount of oxygen within the capsule will slow deterioration. A good seal is essential for oxygen-free containers because any opening will literally suck air, moisture, and dirt into the container due to the negative pressure created. One method to reduce oxygen is to insert a hose to the bottom of the container, placing the lid onto it with as small a gap as possible, and fill the container with argon or nitrogen. This method is not completely efficient, so some oxygen will remain in the container. Or enclose an oxygen scavenger in the capsule to absorb oxygen.
Note: oxygen scavengers generate heat as they react; therefore, avoid placing them near heat sensitive items.
Where should the capsule be placed?
Capsules traditionally have been buried in the ground, but thousands have been lost as a result. The landmarks of today (buildings, trees, rivers) may not exist years from now. Remember to make a detailed map of the capsule’s location!
If you choose to bury the capsule, choose a location with good water run-off. Create a burial vault or contain the capsule within a waterproof barrier such as an asphalt coating, paraffin wax an inch thick, or seal in a waterproof, non-biodegradable material.
If you choose a location above ground, ideally it should be cool, dark, and dry, with minimal temperature and humidity fluctuations, and where it is unlikely to be stolen. To help insure the capsule will be remembered by future generations, mark it’s location with a plaque describing the mission of the contents and the date to be opened. Some popular locations include installation within a building’s foundation, in an exterior wall, display on a pedestal or behind Plexiglas in a lobby, or even an attic.
What Type of Container Should Be Used?
Three essential characteristics of a suitable time capsule container are that it be non-rusting (or non-deteriorating), leak-proof (impermeable to moisture and vapor), and be highly durable. The interior should remain cool, dry, and dark for optimum preservation. Popular construction materials include polypropylene, copper, aluminum, and stainless steel.
Plastic containers are not recommended for long-term projects or for those being buried unless placed inside another container. The long-term stability of plastics (including archival grades) used for time capsules is at question. Plastics can crack in extreme cold, become permeable to vapor and moisture over time, and the seals can fail. Avoid using polyvinyl chloride (PVC) containers, because the chemical components of this material are naturally unstable and release acids that damage capsule contents. If unavoidable, caps on polyethylene can be heat-sealed or threads can be sealed with Teflon tape.
Copper and aluminum containers can oxidize so the contents should be placed in archival storage enclosures. Stainless steel is relatively inexpensive and easily fabricated, and its stability in adverse conditions is excellent. The container should be seamless with a threaded end cap (with gasket) that can be screwed on or welded shut. Solder should not be used, for it deteriorates, allowing seals to break and moisture and vapors to enter.
What Have I Forgotten?
Remember to include a letter to those who will open the capsule. Tell them why the capsule was created and who created it. Include an inventory of the capsule’s contents with a brief description of their material composition, how the items were made, color, and other relevant information. Briefly describe how the capsule’s contents were prepared (including all preservation measures) and the composition of both the enclosures and the capsule. This information will help openers identify items and determine conservation requirements. It will be especially valuable if a new time capsule is created to include some or all of the original items. Retain a copy of this information.
Prepare instructions for opening the capsule and if possible, affix them to the exterior of the capsule. Retain a copy with the inventory and other documents. Do not enclose the instructions in the capsule!
The instructions should include the following cautions.
Handle with care, the contents are likely in fragile condition
Avoid shaking the container
Do not change the container’s orientation, for the contents have been in the same position for a lengthy time and are most stable this way. Shifting of the contents can cause damage (for example, a heavy item may collide with a fragile item, or water leaks can wet previously dry materials).
Avoid using heat methods to open
For metal containers, grind welds off manually
How Can The Memory Of The Capsule Be Preserved?
Will anyone remember the capsule exists in fifty years? a hundred years? Many creative ways are available to remind others of the capsule’s existence. A commemorative plaque that identifies the capsule and provides dates of closing and for opening can be sited at the capsule’s location. Retain all of the information about the capsule, including any newspaper articles and photographs of the sealing, at a local archive or library. Inform the International Time Capsule Society (ITCS) of the completed time capsule project. The ITCS will add the time capsule to its database as part of an attempt to register all known time capsules. If the capsule is to be opened during the creator’s lifetime, prepare invitations, which can be kept in scrapbooks or albums as reminders.
References:
The International Time Capsule Society
Oglethorpe University, 4484 Peachtree Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA 30319-2797
http://www.oglethorpe.edu/itcs/Capsule Suppliers:
4TimeCapsules
PO Box 3417, San Diego, CA 92163-3417A-1 Time Capsules
1345 East Lemon Avenue, Bradbury, CA 91010
(818) 358-9181AMALCO
230 Sheffield Street, Mountainside, NJ 07092
(201) 233-3500
http://www.amalco.comBarrtek Inc.
2885 Whipporwill Drive, Morgan Hill, CA 95037
(408) 779-2345
http://www.barrtek.comFuture Archaeology
P.O. Box 1130 Ansonia Station, New York, NY 10023
(212) 877-4310
www.futurearchaeology.comFuture Packaging & Preservation
1580 West San Bernardino Road #C, Covina, CA 91722-3457
(800) 786-6627Time Capsules, Inc.
107 Bauder School Road Prospect, PA 16052
(800) 527-7853
Archival Suppliers:
Light Impressions
439 Monroe Ave, P.O. Box 940 Rochester, NY 14603-0940
(800) 828-6216Gaylord Bros.
P.O. Box 4901, Syracuse, NY 13221-4901
(800) 448-6160University Products
517 Main Street, P.O. Box 101, Holyoke, MA 01041-0101
(800) 628-1912
Further Reading:
Australian Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Materials (Inc.), The Preparation of Time Capsules. Information Sheet No. 3, Canberra: AICCM, 1992.
Durrans, B., “Posterity and Paradox: Some Uses of Time Capsules,” in Sandra Wallman (ed.), Contemporary Futures: Perspectives from Social Anthropology (Association of Social Anthropologists Monographs, 30), London and New York: Routledge, 1992.
Field, B.P., “U.S. History in a Box.” National Geographic, vol. 175, no. 5 (May 1989), pp.652-660.
Fraser, Helen. “The Time Capsule: Repository of the Past or Romantic Notion?” AASLH Technical Leaflet #182. Nashville: American Association for State and Local History, 1992.
Barclay, Robert L., “Time Capsules” CCI Note N1