Three Institutions Honored for Excellence in Preservation of Collections

The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan, the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History in Norman, Oklahoma, and the National Archives and Records Administration have received the 2004 Heritage Preservation/American Institute for Conservation Award for Outstanding Commitment to the Preservation and Care of Collections. The honorees were selected by professional conservators in recognition of their dedication to high standards of conservation policy and practice. This year’s honorees stand out not only for their attention to conservation, but also for engaging their communities on conservation issues.

The Henry Ford includes Henry Ford Museum, Greenfield Village, Henry Ford Academy, the Benson Ford Research Center, and Ford Rouge Factory Tours. Automobile magnate Henry Ford founded the Museum and Village in 1929, and the collection includes more than 1 million artifacts and more than 76 historic structures. The Henry Ford has systematically addressed conservation issues and extended that focus into the community.

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an independent agency created in 1934 that safeguards records of the federal government from the colonial and pre-federal period to the present. By virtue of its position and irreplaceable holdings, NARA is on the cutting edge of preservation technologies. Its contributions to the field through sharing research results and providing venues for communication and discussion are invaluable.

The Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History was honored for its transformation from an assortment of barns and sheds holding priceless collections in substandard condition to a new, professional museum providing first-rate care for the state’s heritage. Public awareness of dangers to the collections was instrumental to getting the new museum built.

Capital Improvements: Foundations for Collections Care

All three organizations built solid foundations for their collections care efforts through major capital improvement projects addressing basic infrastructure issues. Climate control and the prevention of problems such as leaky pipes are essential to safeguarding collections.

In 1990, The Henry Ford enlisted six nationally prominent conservators to help develop a long-range conservation plan. This led to a $40 million capital campaign to address critical infrastructure issues. From September 2002 to June 2003, Greenfield Village’s underground infrastructure was replaced, and several aboveground improvements were made, including storm and sanitary sewer piping. Conservators are now working to identify historic structures that most need conservation, environmental improvements, and artifact conservation.

 

NARA is completing a major upgrade to the historic National Archives Building. In 1998, it began a special project to re-encase the Charters of Freedom. Information on the condition of the parchment and ink was used to develop treatment protocols, which have been shared with the conservation field. NARA sponsors an annual preservation conference and the Modern Archives Institute, as well as providing advanced conservation internship and pre-graduate training. Archives and preservation professionals regularly receive training and assistance.

The University of Oklahoma’s natural sciences collections were housed in various buildings on campus, including barns and stables built in the 1920s. For more than half a century, these structures held the 6 million objects that represent the largest collection of Oklahoma’s heritage. By the end of the 1990s, the museum had raised more than $50 million for a new building and new staff positions. More than 10,000 people in Oklahoma (the 44th poorest state in the nation) donated money. Preservation of heritage was cited as the primary reason for supporting the museum.

Conservation in the Community

This year’s honorees also educate the public about conservation. The Henry Ford sponsored a disaster planning conference and assisted the Detroit Historical Museum in cleanup after a fire, and the Caring for Your Artifacts section on its Web site provides important conservation information to the public. As NARA designed and fabricated new encasements for the Charters of Freedom, it learned much new information, which is being disseminated through lectures, conferences, publications, and even a film for public television.

The Sam Noble Museum was saved by a group of committed supporters in its community. In 1988, director Michael Mares published Heritage at Risk to alert the people of Oklahoma to the possible catastrophic loss of their heritage in the museum’s buildings. A resulting bond referendum won a landslide victory, and another bond shortly thereafter also succeeded. These victories encouraged private foundations and individuals to step forward.

The Heritage Preservation/American Institute for Conservation Award for Outstanding Commitment to the Preservation and Care of Collections was created in 1998. Since then, a total of 18 awards have been given, including this year’s recipients. Nominations for the 2005 award are due by November 15, 2004. For more information, click here.

Photos: Top, The Henry Ford. Below, document conservation in action at NARA. Bottom, the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History.