You are standing in front of a graphic panel and artifact case titled “Volunteer Scientists: Partners in Discovery.” To your left is a graphic panel titled “SERC’s Campus and the Surrounding Area:
Today.” To your right is a reader rail titled “Window on the Future.”

The panel in front of you includes text and six images. The case below it includes five groups of artifacts with labels.

The main text on the panel reads:

VOLUNTEER SCIENTISTS
Partners in Discovery

SERC’s work depends on a team of dedicated volunteers scientists, who assist with research projects in the field and in the lab. 

Volunteer scientists explore a wide range of topics, including environmental archaeology, forest biodiversity, invasive species, and water quality issues. Many of the artifacts in this exhibition were discovered by volunteer scientists.

The accompanying photos show SERC’s volunteer scientists working on a variety of projects across SERC’s campus, including archaeological digs.

The secondary text reads:

Small Finds Can Lead to Big Discoveries
When we think of archaeology, we may think of large things, like ancient settlements, tombs, and temples. But much of what archaeologists uncover are “small finds”: miscellaneous artifacts, such as buttons, beads, coins, and marbles. Although these finds are small, they can help lead archaeologists to big discoveries.

Volunteer scientists recovered the artifacts in the case below from SERC’s campus.

Visit serc.si.edu to learn how you can get involved.

An accompanying photo shows SERC’s volunteer scientists working at an archaeological dig site. The caption reads: Being an archaeologist requires patience and an eye for detail.

The case below includes five groups of artifacts with labels.

The labels read:

Coins
Coins, like these, can help archaeologists date other finds nearby.

Recovered from Woodlawn:
1. Dime, 1824
2. Indian Head cent, 1859
3. Indian Head cent, 1883
4. Lincoln Wheat cent, 1917
5. Lincoln Wheat cent, 1946

Glass Fragments
Glass fragments can provide clues about what people ate and drank in the past.

Recovered from Woodlawn: 
6. Fragments from glass bottles, vessels, and stemware

Buttons
Buttons provide evidence of how fashions and technology developed. Archaeologists have recovered buttons made of many materials, including bone, metal, and plastic.

Recovered from Java:
7. Silver filigree sleeve button, ca. 1776 to 1865
8. Brass button, ca. 1776 to 1865

Recovered from Woodlawn:
9. Copper alloy shank button, probably British, ca. 1800s
10. Bone button
11. Ceramic button
12. Wooden button
13. Metal button depicting two birds
14. Metal shank button with pearl
15. Metal eyelet button
16. White ceramic Prosser shirt button, post-Civil War
17. Blue plastic button

Recovered from SERC’s campus:
18. Various buttons

Buckles and Fasteners
These buckles and fasteners were used to secure clothing and other items, such as horse bridles and saddles.

Recovered from Contees Wharf:
19. Copper alloy buckle, ca. 1600s

Recovered from Squirrel Neck:
20. Double tongue shoe buckle, ca. 1720 to 1790

Recovered from Woodlawn:
21. Hand-tooled brass buckle
22. Stamped metal buckle
23. Metal buckle
24. Hook and eye fasteners

Recovered from Java:
25. Stamped alloy buckle with brassy finish, ca. 1900s

Recovered from SERC’s campus:
26. Various buckles and fasteners

Marbles
The Sellman and Kirkpatrick-Howat children may have played with these marbles.

Recovered from Woodlawn: 
27. Ceramic and glass marbles