Spotlight on a CAPped Museum
The USS Constellation in
Baltimore's Inner Harbor. Photo
courtesy the USS Constellation
Museum.
The USS Constellation Museum in Baltimore, Maryland, is the custodian of the 150-year old sloop-of-war USS Constellation, the last all-sail ship built by the U.S. Navy. The Museum offers a glimpse into the ship’s life during the Civil War with public programs such as the Powder Monkey Tour, where youngsters come on board to learn about the lives of the boys who carried powder to the cannons. In a hands-on tour, young "recruits" find out how lads from 11 to 18 lived in the Civil War-era Navy.
In 1954 Constellation was moved to Baltimore in a "floating dry-dock" for preservation as a historic shrine by a private, non-profit patriotic organization. A Restoration Tour tells the story of the ship’s partial demolition and rebuilding—the largest non-Naval wooden ship restoration ever undertaken in the United States. The project began in December 1996 and ended in July 1999, and the ship is now almost back to her Civil War appearance. The tour showcases the innovative technology, as well as the traditional methods, that went into this massive project.
The Museum also cares for artifacts and documents related to the ship and its legacy. The USS Constellation Museum went through the CAP process in 2001. Nancy Davis, Objects Conservator at Object Preservation Services in Laurel, Maryland, conducted the collections assessment while Capt. Paul Healy, Marine Surveyor at Capt. G. W. Full & Associates, Inc., in Marblehead, Massachusetts, provided the architectural assessment. According to Constellation staff, the reports offered great insight and suggestions on how to improve the conservation and preservation practices for the museum’s collections.
DeSimone Painting of Constellation in
Naples, circa 1862. Courtesy the USS
Constellation Museum.
Using the CAP assessments as a guide, the staff at the USS Constellation Museum relocated artifacts and archives from an older storage area to a secure, climate-controlled facility. In addition, exhibits were upgraded to include acid-free mounts and installations, as well as reduced light levels where possible. Finally, in accordance with the assessors’ recommendations, the Museum completed the installation of a state-of-the-art fire detection and security system aboard Constellation, and addressed several water intrusion issues in the vessel’s wooden decks.
In addition to the recommendations from the assessment reports, other advantages came out of the experience. Participating in CAP raised awareness of conservation issues among the Constellation staff, especially those not directly involved in curatorial/restoration concerns. The CAP process also reinforced the importance of conservation to the Museum’s director and board. Another benefit is the relationship that developed between the Museum and assessors. The Constellation staff continues to stay in touch with Ms. Davis and Capt. Healy and consults them when conservation issues arise.
CAP also assisted the Constellation with receiving grants and corporate support and sponsorship. “Having CAP on the application always helps bring a degree of credibility, and is a sign that an organization is committed to the long-term care and conservation of its collections and/or historic structures,” says Ken Hickman, Curator at the USS Constellation Museum.
Currently, the Museum is planning for the construction of a new building. The design of this structure, from a collections and exhibit standpoint, will be guided in part by the recommendations in the CAP report. Issues of climate control, light levels, and long-term preservation will be central to the design of the relevant areas of the facility.
Thanks to Ken Hickman for his assistance with this article.
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