Wikipedia:GLAM/The Children's Museum of Indianapolis/Image of the week

Wikipedia Image of the Week

The Wikipedia Image of the Week is a bi-weekly blog series run by The Children's Museum of Indianapolis as part of their ongoing Wikimedia cooperation. It is carried out by the Wikipedian in Residence, in conjunction with the American, Natural Science, and Cultural World curators and the social media manager. Each blog asks the digital users to consider where in Wikipedia the image should be placed, using the additional information provided by the curators. When there are suggestions, the Wikipedian in Residence will then request that the Wikipedia community update the suggested articles with those images.

Goals of the project

To promote the use of Commons images that have been donated by the Children's Museum of Indianapolis.
To share additional curatorial insight about the objects shared, which can then be updated in the image's metadata.
To offer a participatory experience with the museum's digital audience, who can add comments about the images.

Blog postings

Introducing the Wikipedia Image of the Week! (Marx Electric Car), February 29, 2012
Wikipedia Image of the Week #2 (Quail Trap), March 8, 2012
Wikipedia Image of the Week #3 (Alaskan Red King Crab), March 22, 2012
Wikipedia Image of the Week #4 (Baculites), April 4, 2012

Featured images & curatorial background

Marx Electric Car

Year: 1959

Accession Number: 2006.8.28

Maker: Louis Marx Company

Material: Lithographed Steel

This electric “Marx Mobile” was made for driving fun! From the ignition key in the dashboard to the classic fins at the rear, this car mimicked real vehicles of the 1950s and 1960s. Using an electric motor, this riding toy transported kids from pedal power to the battery powered toys popular today.

Quail Trap

Year: Mid-20th century

Location: Malaysia

Accession Number: 86.145.3

Although this looks like a regular bird cage, it’s actually a trap for catching quails. A female quail is placed in the basket or woven container in the back of the cage with netting placed in front. When the female calls out, it attracts a male. When he steps onto the trigger in front of the basket, he causes the net to fall on and trap him. Although wild quails no longer exist in Malaysia, jebak puyuh continue to be created as decorative items.

Alaskan Red King Crab

Scientific name: Paralithodes camtschaticus

Accession Number: 2001.20.1

The Red king crab is one of the larger living crabs in the world and can have a leg span of nearly 5 ft. Since a red king crab has an exoskeleton (shell) it must molt in order to grow. The commercial harvesting of these crabs has been highlighted in The Discovery Channel program Deadliest Catch. The catching of Red king crabs constitutes one of the most valuable fisheries for Alaska.

Baculites

Scientific name: Baculites compressus

Accession Number: 2001.12.1

''The baculites is a cephalopod, belonging to the same class of animals as squid, octopi, and the extinct ammonites. The animal had a flatly coiled shell when young, but on reaching maturity the shell develops into its typical straight “walking stick” form. A distinctive feature of these baculites is the complex suture pattern apparent in its fossilized shell.