Hurricane Helene survivors are protecting family heirlooms and mementos with help from the Smithsonian

The Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative provides information on salvaging books, photographs, records, tapes, paintings, framed artwork, heirlooms, and more.

The total damage from Hurricane Helene to North Carolina—be it physical, psychological or economic – is difficult to quantify. But the numbers reported by the Office of State Budget and Management are harrowing: over 100 deaths, US$59.6 billion in damages and thousands of homes destroyed, as of Dec. 13, 2024.