Everybody agrees that these are strange and unprecedented times. The new normal will be walking around with a mask and getting used to not touching our faces. To survive a pandemic is an accomplishment and we are bound to record this as best as we can.
A lot of local history museums in the Bay Area are accepting your quarantine stories, photos, and other media.
San Francisco
California Historical Society, the official historical society for the State of California, has a website with a form to invite you to answer a few questions about your experience with COVID-19.
Some local history museums are also collecting your descriptions of the pandemic.
Cupertino
Cupertino residents may share their experiences and media with Cupertino’s Historical Society. They have an online submission form:
Sunnyvale
If you documented COVID-19 related events in Sunnyvale, please submit them to the Sunnyvale Historical Society and Museum Association:
https://heritageparkmuseum.org/blog/documenting-the-sunnyvale-experience-of-covid-19
Los Altos
The Los Altos History Museum is asking residents of Santa Clara County to submit and share your stories, photographs, or other items documenting your experience with COVID-19. https://www.losaltoshistory.org/documenting-covid-19-in-santa-clara-county/
Campbell
The Campbell Historical Museum is also asking for artifacts and journals that represent this crisis.
https://www.campbellmuseums.com/how-to-document-the-covid-19-pandem
Santa Cruz
is planning on an exhibit with your submissions. In These Uncertain Times is scheduled from October 16th, 2020 to April 4th, 2021 the MAH will exhibit how daily lives have changed in the pandemic through community-sourced artwork.
https://santacruzmah.org/exhibitions/uncertain-times
Artist are also asked to share their work at the Tenderloin Museum’s virtual gallery
http://www.tenderloinmuseum.org/shelterinplace to show life under lockdown: Shelter In Place
Writing about this time might help you to work through it. How are you coping?
If I missed a history museum in the area that also collects submissions, please add your information in the comment section.