The behavior of some of the governmental bodies is disgusting. I applied to the Chicago Historical Society and the Chicago Library to see the Rosensteel and GAR holdings respectively and was denied despite references and an offer to correct some of their documentation free. Not that money woes were cited, but I understand if there are budgetary pressures -- let us pay somebody to watch over our shoulders so we behave.
The people charged with protecting our history are denying it.
Meanwhile, just North of here in Wisconsin, they have a state law that says they have to show you the stuff hidden away if you ask. I went to the basement of the Milwaukee Museum where they have 10,000 times more cool stuff in storage than they do on display and the curator could not have been nicer hosting the three of us for as long as we wanted.
Here is a 6pdr stand of grape in the Milwaukee Museum basement store rooms. I've never seen one in a book, and they don't even know what they have but at least we got to see it and tell them.