History of Science Collections: Assessment and Environmental Monitoring

FAIN: PG-51183-11

Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum (Chicago, IL 60605-2403)
Devon Pyle-Vowles (Project Director: May 2010 to June 2011)
Jennifer E. Brand (Project Director: June 2011 to October 2012)

A general preservation assessment and the purchase of environmental monitoring equipment for a collection focused on the history of science, which includes approximately 1,800 scientific instruments, 2,400 rare books, 212 feet of archival records, and 24,000 photographs.

The Adler Planetarium holds one of the world's most important history of science collections. The Adler requests funding for an Exhibition Environment Assessment and Improvement Project, a critical priority in the Adler's Long Range Conservation Plan. This funding will be used to purchase dataloggers for a year-long monitoring program, and to hire Wendy Jessup and Associates Inc. for evaluating the collected data and for providing recommendations of environmental improvements to Adler collections on exhibition. The goals of the proposed Exhibition Environment Assessment and Improvement Project are to: 1) Improve staff efficiency in environmental monitoring and collections management by implementing an automated datalogging program; 2) Evaluate the efficacy of the microclimate cases; 3) Develop improvements, if necessary; and 4) Develop standardized environmental requirements for exhibition of collection objects.