Twenty Years of Conservation
Improvements through CAP
Lower East Side Tenement Museum |
CAP Year: 1994 |
 |
Exterior of Museum |
The Lower East Side Tenement Museum, which would grow to become a highly successful mid-sized New York museum, was opened with one restored tenement apartment in 1992. Aware that they needed collections advice for their burgeoning museum, the staff participated in the Conservation Assessment Program in 1994.
Collections assessor Lynda Zycherman and historic building assessor James Askins provided the Tenement Museum with a sold basis for collections and building preservation. Establishing an integrated pest management program was one recommendation that applied to both building and collections preservation. It was also recommended that the Museum hire a full-time registrar, purchase collections management software and data-enter the collections catalogue, install UV filters on the windows, and convert the cellar into a collections storage room. Through numerous grants and diligent efforts on the part of the staff, all of these goals were achieved. The long-term goals of inventorying and cataloguing all items in the collection have been worked into the Museum’s long-range plan. Collections manager/registrar Derya Golpinar confirms that the CAP report has been a helpful supporting document when applying for further grants.
The Tenement Museum became AAM accredited in 2004. Golpinar confirms that, thanks to the collections care advice the Museum received from its CAP assessors, it was well prepared to meet the collections standards set by the accreditation commission.
When asked what advice she would give to another museum that has recently finished its CAP assessment, Golpinar said, "Be persistent and remember that it can take a long time to implement all the improvements recommended in your CAP report. Some of the recommendations in the Lower East Side Tenement Museum’s CAP report took over ten years to implement." The investment of time and resources in collections care has been one aspect of cultural stewardship that has helped to bring great rewards and considerable growth to the Museum. Just like the smaller CAP museums, the Tenement Museum still has conservation and preservation priorities, and it will continue to pursue excellence in the stewardship of its collections and buildings for years to come.
Thanks to Derya Golpinar for her help with this article.
Photo courtesy of Keiko Niwa
back to 20th Anniversary Main Page
back to Archive Spotlight Main Page