To mark the anniversary of the bombings, selected items left by thousands of mourners at the bombing sitel will be curated into an exhibit called "Dear Boston: Messages from the Marathon Memorial," hosted by the Boston Public Library from April 7 to May 11, according to the Associated Press.
Among the numerous heartfelt messages left at Copley Square was one from a Sandy Hook mother that reads, "We understand. Sending love and support," the AP reported. Other notes urged resilience: "Don't let this stop you. Stay Boston Strong" and "We will run again."
One colorful sign had more than 10 towns in Massachusetts forming the shape of a heart, saying "Stands with Boston!!!" underneath, according to the AP. Multiple messages of "I love my city" and "Boston Strong" memorabilia were scattered throughout the square.
An online catalog called "Our Marathon" is hosted by Northeastern University and features 18,000 cards addressed to the mayor's office, according to the AP. Photos of other objects that can't be scanned will also be included.
The city has also lent out a few of the items for exhibits at the Cambridge Public Library, Northeastern University and the mayor's office, the AP reported.
John McColgan of the City of Boston Archives said collecting and preserving the material was a collaborative effort, according to the AP. Various companies helped by fumigating, gathering and storing the material at no charge, he said.
Rainey Tisdale, an independent curator from Boston, has been in charge of assembling this year's exhibit and selecting which items to choose, the AP reported. She said the experience has been emotional.
"Seeing these objects is a pretty intense experience," Tisdale said, according to the AP. "People poured their hearts out into them."
She expects the finished exhibit to feature hundreds of items, including 150 pairs of running shoes, the AP reported.
