Training in Collections Care and Environmental Improvements in Storage and Exhibits

FAIN: PG-51231-11

Southern Ute Cultural Center and Museum (Ignacio, CO 81130)
Lynn Brittner (Project Director: May 2010 to September 2012)
Nathan Strong Elk (Project Director: September 2012 to December 2012)

Hiring a consultant to conduct two onsite workshops for the museum's staff on collections care including rehousing the collections and environmental monitoring techniques, and the purchase of supplies and equipment. The museum's collections include 4,000 objects, archival materials, and photographs that document the history and culture of the Utes in this part of Colorado since the 1850s.

The Southern Ute Cultural Center and Museum, (SUCCM) is requesting support for collections training and to implement environmental improvements to protect humanities collections in storage and on exhibit. The grant will support a consulting conservator/trainer to provide training and mentored-implementation in new microclimate case technology, supplies to rehouse the Native American collections and the use of a new Mobile Conservation and Training Laboratory to support the grant goals. The collections that will benefit from environmental improvements are significant Southern Ute artifacts, archives and photographic collections that are used in new exhibits and to support the mission of the institution. The collections range in date from 1850's to 2010 and represent the Southern Utes and are used to pass the Ute traditions on. Collections training and implementation of recommended environmental improvements in storage and on exhibit was identified as an institutional priority.