Textile Collection Conservation Project

FAIN: PG-51219-11

Women's History Museum and Educational Center (San Diego, CA 92102-1946)
Matthew Nye (Project Director: May 2010 to May 2012)

The purchase of storage supplies and the hiring of a consultant, in preparation for rehousing a collection of 490 textiles featuring a variety of American women's clothing and accessories, most from the 19th and 20th centuries.

This project would allow the Museum to preserve its Textile Collection, assuring its condition for the future, providing safer transportation to off-site exhibits, loans, and outreach activities, and will mitigate any further problems of deterioration. It is our intent and responsibility to preserve current and future donations in a manner which meets current museum standards. This Textile Collection Conservation project will utilize the expertise of a Textile Conservation Specialist and be coordinated by the Museum’s Collections Manager. The Textile Specialist will be on-site for two days instructing the Collections Manager, setting up a work system for Museum volunteers, and overseeing the first day of work. Four volunteers will be recruited from the History Department of Grossmont College, the Women’s Studies program of San Diego State University, and the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, San Diego. It is anticipated that the entire project will take 6-8 months.