Phase 3 Developing Storage and Housing Spaces for Humanities Collections
FAIN: PG-258237-18
Good Will-Hinckley (Hinckley, ME 04944-0159)
Deborah W. Staber (Project Director: April 2017 to September 2019)
Hiring
a consultant, purchase of shelving and storage supplies, and training for the
staff at a historic home that documents the daily life of children in the 19th
and 20th centuries. The Good Will-Hinckley Homes ran childcare
centers and orphanages in Maine. Its collections include farming and
ice-cutting tools used by the boys and fabric arts and rug-making equipment
used by the girls; they show the work skills taught to those under the care of
the Good Will centers. A conservator would assist in the design of new storage
spaces and train museum staff in collections care.
The L.C. Bates Museum’s project preservation goal is to improve collection’s care and storage by developing a new storage space and storing significant historical collections. These materials are relevant to the history and study of Good Will Homes, regional heritage and the history of childhood and childcare. To achieve this goal, we propose to work with conservator, Ron Harvey to implement the recommendations of our past conservation assessments by methods outlined in Harvey’s letter of commitment and storage treatment recommendations. This project is a priority of our 2008 RECAP, 2014 MAP and 2013-2017 long range conservation plan. The project is designed to turn an unused room on the museum’s second floor into appropriate storage space for humanities objects, purchase shelving and storage supplies, train staff in storage methods, store the project collections, and present a public workshop on Storage and Management in a Small Museum.