The following instructions and Frequently Asked Questions are intended to assist you in setting up an account and navigating the database. If you have any problems in establishing an account or logging onto the website, please contact:
If you require assistance navigating the website, need help obtaining associated documentation, or want to schedule in-person visit, please contact:
Erin Vanier
Curator/Collections Manager
Michilimackinac Historical Society
334 N. State St
St. Ignace, MI 49781
(906) 643-6627
For all Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) inquiries, please contact:
Bernstein & Associates NAGPRA Consultants
(303) 894-0648
or
Helen Thibault
Executive Secretary/Deputy Treasurer
City of St. Ignace
sisec@lighthouse.net
(906) 643-9671
Step 1: Getting an Account and Logging On
As a nominated cultural consultant, you will need an email account to receive the invitation to join the site.
Once you mail, call, or email MHS Curator/Collections Manager Erin Vanier at
evanier.mhs@gmail.com or (906) 643-6627 with your preferred email, we will send you an invitation by email.
Once you open the email invitation from the “Fort de Buade Museum Collection Web Consultation Tool” at contact@fdbmcollection.com, click the “Accept invitation” link.
You will then be taken to a website that will ask you to create a unique password. Please write your password down in a secure place.
You can now access and search the website at any time by entering your email and your password. If you plan on using the website frequently, we recommend bookmarking the fdbmcollection.com website in your internet browser.
If your community requires more than one consultant login, please contact MHS Curator/Collections Manager Erin Vanier at
evanier.mhs@gmail.com or (906) 643-6627 to request access for additional users.
Step 2: Navigating the Website
After logging in, you will be taken to the Welcome page with a note from the City of St. Ignace Mayor.
To begin reviewing the collection photos, click the “Search the Collection” link in the top left corner. For more information on searching for cultural resources on the website, please see Step 3 below.
If you run into any problems, there are also links to these instructions and the Frequently Asked Questions at the top of the website. You may also contact MHS Curator/Collections Manager Erin Vanier at
evanier.mhs@gmail.com or (906) 643-6627 if you continue to have issues navigating the website.
You can sign out of the website at any time by clicking “Sign Out” in the top right corner.
The website is structured so that all of these primary links do not move regardless of which webpage in the collection you are accessing.
Step 3: Searching for Cultural Resources on the Website
Use the search bar on the top left corner to initiate a search. The following fields are searchable: collection name, catalog number, item name, and item material.
Search by Collection Name: To find everything associated with a particular collection, in the search bar, type in one of the collection names listed below, and click the green search button.
- Fort de Buade Museum
- Marquette Mission Site (Digital records associated with this collection are under development. Only those housed in St. Ignace are currently included on the website.)
- Michilimackinac Historical Society
- Museum of Ojibwa Culture
Search by Catalog Number: This search method is most useful after the collection has been reviewed, and you want to return to a specific item. Each photograph has a corresponding catalog number seen when you click on a photograph or hold your cursor over the photograph. In the search bar on the top left corner, type in the catalog number exactly and click the green search button.
Additionally, comprehensive lists that contain catalog numbers have been distributed during consultations. If you would like a comprehensive list of items from a particular collection, please contact MHS Curator/Collections Manager Erin Vanier at evanier.mhs@gmail.com or (906) 643-6627.
Search by Item Name: The items on the website are searchable by name (e.g., awl, quillwork, trade bead). Please note that some items such as projectile point are searchable as point, projectile. In the search bar on the top left corner, type in the item name and click the green search button.
Searching by Item Material: The items on the website are searchable by material (e.g., birch, ash, feather, stone). In the top left corner, type in the item material and click the green search button.
Click here view a comprehensive list of item name and material search terms.
Step 4: Asking Questions and Commenting on the Website
When viewing a particular item, comments and questions may be entered in the “Add a comment” box on the right side of the website and then clicking the green “Comment” button. Once you click “Comment,” the website will send the City of St. Ignace an email to alert us that a new comment has been submitted.
The City will keep all of your comments and questions strictly confidential. No one else viewing the website will be able to see your comments besides yourself, the MHS Curator/Collections Manager Erin Vanier, and the City.
The MHS Curator/Collections Manager Erin Vanier will respond to your comments and questions via email or phone.
Please remember that these website tools are just one option to engage in consultation and examine the collections. Please feel free to contact us if you would like to schedule a consultation or examine one or more of the collections in person or for any other reason.
Our hope is that this website facilitates the beginning of our conversation!