Developing a Comprehensive and Sustainable Strategy for Protecting Historic New England’s Collections

FAIN: PF-249657-16

Historic New England (Boston, MA 02114-2702)
Benjamin K. Haavik (Project Director: November 2015 to March 2025)

A planning project to develop a comprehensive and sustainable strategy for protecting collections related to the cultural heritage of New England, which amount to 110,000 artifacts and 1.2 million archival materials, held in one storage facility and in 37 historic properties across six New England states.

A planning project to develop a comprehensive strategy for sustainably protecting the 110,000 artifacts and 1.2 million archival materials at Historic New England's 37 historic house museums and collections storage facility. A museum security consulting firm will be hired to work with an interdisciplinary team composed of senior Historic New England staff on a security audit that will include: an assessment of existing systems and protocols for theft prevention and fire protection; cost-effective recommendations for managing security operations; and short- and long-term recommendations for improving the existing systems and protocols to better protect the nation's largest and most wide-ranging collection of New England cultural heritage. The project will serve as a model for stewards of other house museums who wish to protect their collections in a sustainable manner while maintaining high standards for visitor access, authenticity, and preservation of historic fabric.