New Publication Helps Historic Structure Assessors
Experienced architectural assessors give practical advice to make conditions assessments as effective as possible in a new publication from Heritage Preservation.
Best Practices for Conditions Assessments of Historic Structures contains practical tips and techniques from experienced Conservation Assessment Program (CAP) architectural assessors. Based on a CAP workshop held last fall, the booklet presents tried and true techniques of experienced assessors and examines what qualities of their site visits and reports inspire museums to take the next steps in improving building and collections care.
In the 12 years since it began, CAP has helped over 2,000 small museums undertake historic building assessments along with general conservation assessments of their collections. CAP stresses the interrelationship between buildings and collections and has created a sea change in the museum and conservation fields, helping both collections and architectural assessors see how their areas of expertise are connected. The diversity of the museums CAP serves means there is a wide variety of ways to convey information about their buildings and collections.
Best Practices seeks to share tips about the different ways assessments can be conducted and how to tailor reports to best help museums. Among the tips offered by experienced assessors are:
- Mention as many positive things as possible during your visit; developing a conversational tone will help get your client to feel they are an important part of the process.
- Discuss in advance of your visit whether special arrangements need to be made, e.g., a ladder for access to the roof.
- Make notes on a copy of the floor plan; copy 8 1/2 x 11” plans onto 11 x 17” sheets to make room for your notes.
Best Practices examines a case study museum, Pejepscot Historical Society, and its experience with CAP to illustrate how a conditions assessment can be used as a stepping stone for a long- range conservation plan. Since undertaking CAP in 1999, PHS has successfully obtained outside funding and made systematic strides in caring for their buildings and collection. Part of their success hinged upon the assessors’ consideration of what they could reasonably achieve when crafting their recommendations.
Best Practices summarizes PHS’ experience: “While [the PHS has] made great strides, [executive director Deborah Smith] acknowledges that in many areas they have improved from a ‘C-’ to a ‘B+’, not because they wouldn’t like to reach an ‘A’ but simply because they realistically can’t, given their historic buildings and available resources. Yet, by following the stepping stones laid out by CAP, the museum has improved and progressed in a way that has opened doors to new financial support. The Pejepscot Historical Society is a CAP success story.” The sciences of conservation and historic preservation have learned much about what is ideal; the art of CAP is to learn what is achievable.
A limited number of print copies are available from Heritage Preservation. The publication can also be downloaded from the Web site as a PDF.
The Conservation Assessment Program is a federally funded grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services that is administered by Heritage Preservation (for more about CAP, click here). IMLS also supported the Best Practices for Conditions Assessments of Historic Structures workshop through a National Leadership Grant. The workshop was co-sonsored by the Association for Preservation Technology International.
