Planning of a major permanent exhibition on the rise of precision manufacturing and its importance in American industrial history.

At a site uniquely positioned to tell the story of precision manufacturing in America, this project will interpret the American Precision Museum through a major, permanent exhibition on the history of the machine tool and the rise of the ?American System? of manufacturing.This will be the first major, permanent exhibition to explore Vermont?s industrial history in any depth, and it will overturn many a visitor?s pre-conceived notions about New England industry. Building upon one of the finest collections of machine tools in the nation, the museum will develop an exhibition that not only illuminates the machines but also explores the lives of the people who made and used them. Windsor is considered to be the cradle of precision manufacturing. The machines and systems designed and built here made mass production possible. Mass production in turn has made possible abundant food and clothing, improved sanitation and health care, and the leisure for universal education.

The purchase of environmental monitoring equipment, storage shelving, and the services of a conservator who would provide onsite collections care training for the museum's staff and volunteers. The collection consists of industrial and household machines, tools, and related archival materials that document the history of technology from the early 19th through the mid-20th century.

The purchase of supplies and equipment to store 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.

American Precision Museum in Windsor, Vermont, will improve storage conditions and our ability to care for collections by (1) reducing excess humidity in the Annex storage area through installation of a dehumidifier; (2) reducing excessive light levels in Armory storage by installing 50 window roller shades; (3) rehousing and reshelving archival collections in both locations, and using a new museum vacuum cleaner purchased as part of the project to improve the level of cleanliness in storage areas. These activities are based on the detailed recommendations of prior conservation consultants.

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.