• Climate Assessment for the Aiken-Rhett House Museum Collection

    Project Director(s):
    Brandy Sommers Culp, Lauren Northup
    Author(s):
    Lauren Northup
    Date:
    2016
    Group(s):
    Data Rescue
    Subject(s):
    Museums--Study and teaching, Historic preservation
    Item Type:
    White paper
    Institution:
    Historic Charleston Foundation
    Tag(s):
    NEH White papers, Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections, NEH Preservation and Access, Museum studies, Historical preservation
    Permanent URL:
    http://dx.doi.org/10.17613/M6C65H
    Abstract:
    Historic Charleston Foundation (HCF) is seeking a Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collection Planning Grant in the amount of $40,000 to develop a comprehensive plan for providing a sustainable means of managing the interior environment of the Aiken-Rhett House Museum for the longevity of the collections and the historic interior finishes. This project will enable HCF to better understand and eventually mitigate the direct effects of climate on the condition of the collection and historic finishes at the Aiken-Rhett House Museum. It is necessary to further study current conditions and strategically plan sustainable, low-impact methods of intervention in order to better manage the interior environment and preserve the collection.
    Notes:
    A yearlong planning project to provide for a sustainable means of managing the interior environment of the Aiken-Rhett House Museum for the long-term preservation of the collections and the historic interior finishes. The Aiken-Rhett House, c. 1820, managed by the Historic Charleston Foundation (HCF), is a rare example of a nearly intact, 19th-century urban townhouse complex, containing original objects and finishes in the main house and dependency buildings. The proposed study would use targeted monitoring techniques to measure temperature, relative humidity, dew point temperature, and air speed throughout the house. The resulting information would provide key insights into the deterioration of the architectural fabric of the house and the exhibited collections. The planning team would provide recommendations for more effective light control (guidelines for operating window shades, windows, and doors), natural ventilation, and minimal heating, as well as improvements to existing pest control protocols and periodic dehumidification.
    Metadata:
    xml
    Status:
    Published
    Last Updated:
    6 years ago
    License:
    Attribution-NonCommercial
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