Stabilizing the Philadelphia City History Collection at the Atwater Kent Museum of Philadelphia

FAIN: PZ-50172-08

Atwater Kent Museum (Philadelphia, PA 19106)
Viki Sand (Project Director: October 2007 to December 2010)

The improvement of environmental conditions and installation of fire suppression to protect the museum's library, archival, and material culture collections, which document the history of Philadelphia.

In a long-term, integrated series of capital projects designed to transform the Atwater Kent Museum of Philadelphia's (AKMP) historic building into a 21st century museum facility, AKMP requests an NEH Stabilizing Humanities Collections grant to (1) seal the envelope of its historic 1826 building by restoring or replacings its windows and, (2) install a new HVAC system, including a climate-controlled storage area on the third floor. This 17-month project includes: (1) moving the collection to a secure, off-site storage facility with a climate-controlled area for paintings and furniture; (2) engaging expert conservator consultants to guide AKMP staff throughout the process; and (3) installing a sprinkler system throughout the building to provide automatic fire-suppression capability. At the project's conclusion AKMP will have significantly enhanced its capacity to care for the holdings in its stewardship and to present and interpret these important humanities collections to the public.