Assessing Needs for the Historical Museum in Centre County, Pennsylvania

FAIN: PG-280731-21

Centre County Library and Historical Museum (Bellfonte, PA 16823-1601)
Robbin Degeratu (Project Director: January 2021 to April 2025)

A general preservation assessment for the Historical Museum at Centre County Library & Historical Museum’s exhibition and storage areas. This would address a wide range of the institution’s preservation needs, including building, environmental, pest control, fire protection, security, and disaster preparedness. In addition, the assessment would provide collection-specific recommendations for storage, handling, exhibition, treatment, and preservation planning. The Historical Museum endeavors to promote the history of Centre County, Pennsylvania, from the late 1700s to the present day, and its collection comprises a large variety of two- and three-dimensional objects. After a recent three-year project to re-inventory the entire 35,800-object collection, NEH funding would aid staff in prioritizing activities for its preservation and making long-term financial plans for the Historical Museum.

The Historical Museum at Centre County Library & Historical Museum requests $6,500 for a general preservation assessment of its exhibition and storage areas. The final report will provide observations and recommendations to guide the development of a comprehensive preservation plan for the unique materials held in the Historical Museum’s exhibition and storage areas. The Historical Museum’s collections directly speak to history, politics, economics, and cultural heritage at the regional level, yet when contextualized against the background of American history and the nature of humanity at large, we can appreciate both the unique and the universal aspects of predecessors’ existence, and the watershed nature of their contributions. This project has the potential to transform the future of the Historical Museum by giving staff and members of the Board of Trustees the ability to plan for and respond to the needs of the exhibitions and storage spaces as outlined by a qualified professional.