Rehousing the Permanent Collection at Fraunces Tavern Museum

FAIN: PG-50177-07

Sons of the Revolution in the State of New York, Inc. (New York, NY 10004-4300)
Tracy Leach (Project Director: May 2006 to December 2008)

Hiring a consultant and purchasing archival supplies to rehouse collections at Fraunces Tavern Museum, which focuses on the history of the tavern and Lower Manhattan during the Revolutionary War period. Housed and displayed in the tavern, where George Washington said farewell to his officers at the close of the American Revolution, are collections of letters, maps, and documents; prints and paintings; archaeological artifacts; and furniture and decorative arts.

This $5,000 grant request will expand upon a 2004 New York State Council on the Arts grant and complete efforts to improve the housing of and access to the museum's permanent collection. This grant will support consultant fees and the purchase of archival materials. Approximately 25% of the collection has yet to be rehoused. This effort is imperative because the project is incomplete and goes against proper collection management as outlined in the museum's long range plan and collections management policy. The project is also necessary for the museum's professional stewardship as it moves towards AAM re-accreditation.