Purchase of Environmental Monitoring Equipment to Preserve Historic Collections

FAIN: PG-51535-12

American Precision Museum, Inc. (Windsor, VT 05089-1312)
Beau Harris (Project Director: May 2011 to April 2012)

The purchase of equipment to monitor environmental conditions for collections housed in the 1846 National Historic Landmark Robbins and Lawrence Armory, an international engineering heritage site. The museum's holdings document the history of precision manufacturing and include machine tools, models, and firearms, which date from 1820 to the mid-20th century, as well as books and records from 19th-century machine tool companies.

The American Precision Museum will purchase 11 PEM environmental monitoring data loggers to improve information management and the quality of data we have been gathering since 2005. The museum will also buy its first handheld equipment to monitor visible light, ultraviolet light and temperature and relative humidity conditions - needed for collections care and exhibits development. The purchases are based on recent recommendations by consulting conservators. The museum’s collections are primarily machine tools and the products of precision manufacturing including firearms, sewing machines, and typewriters, supported by related archival and library holdings.