Developing a Master Preservation Plan for the the World's Largest Hawaiian and Pacific Archaeology Collections

FAIN: PF-249717-16

Bernice P. Bishop Museum (Honolulu, HI 96817-2704)
Charmaine Wong (Project Director: December 2015 to June 2019)

A planning project to improve storage and environmental conditions for a collection of more than one million archaeological artifacts from throughout the Pacific.

The Anthropology Department at the Bishop Museum will develop a Master Preservation Plan for the Archaeology Collections, which comprise an estimated 1.2 million artifacts and samples. This project will assemble a team of qualified professionals consisting of a conservator, a historic preservation specialist, a mechanical engineer, and collections and facility staff members.  The Master Preservation Plan builds on previous museum-wide conservation surveys and will focus on assessing the preservation needs and issues of the collections, environmental conditions, and collections spaces, and make recommendations to mitigate risks that are sustainable and specific to the varied collections, the museum, and Hawaii.  The plan will produce thoughtful and informed recommendations, implementation plans, and next steps guide both the short- and long-term stewardship and preservation of the collections, including plans for the consolidation of collections and HVAC ductwork.