Architect of the Capitol and The Friends of Iolani Palace Receive 2010 Joint AIC Award

Nominations for 2011 Award due December 15, 2010

Thomas Crawford’s Statue of Freedom on the east plaza after conservation

Historic seats of government on opposite sides of the country are receiving the 2010 Award for Outstanding Commitment to the Preservation and Care of Collections, presented annually by Heritage Preservation and the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works. Although there are vast differences in the size and scope of their collections, the Architect of the Capitol, in Washington, DC, and The Friends of Iolani Palace, in Honolulu, Hawaii, are models of exemplary stewardship of the historic collections in their care. For more information about this year's award recipients, please click here.

Iolani Palace Exterior

The committee noted that the two award recipients have some significant similarities. Both have extremely dedicated staff members who are advocates for the collections within their organizations and to the public. These staff members work extensively with outside professional conservators, and use these conservators not just to treat objects, but for assistance in planning and surveys of collections needs. At both institutions, the collections care program is guided by the use of historical archives and documentation.

Both have conducted extensive efforts to educate the public about conservation and preservation. Iolani Palace was a participant in the Conservation Assessment Program in 2006, a program administered by Heritage Preservation on behalf of the Institute of Museum and Library Services; and Dr. Barbara Wolanin, curator for the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), is the longtime representative of AOC to Heritage Preservation. We congratulate our colleagues on this noteworthy achievement.

The Award for Outstanding Commitment to the Preservation and Care of Collections is presented annually to recognize an organization that has been exemplary in the importance and priority it has given to conservation concerns and in the sustained commitment it has shown to the preservation and care of cultural property. Recent recipients have included Shelburne Museum, Historic Cherry Hill, the Arizona State Museum, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, and the Cleveland Public Library. The deadline for nominations for the 2011 Award is December 15, 2010. Self-nominations are welcome. For information on past recipients, and more on how to nominate your institution, please click here.