“Is Your Museum Building Part of Your Collection?”
About this Session
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the James Library Building has housed the Museum of Early Trades & Crafts since 1969. The Richardsonian Romanesque Revival building is a jewel box with polychromatic exterior stonework, stained glass windows, decorative fireplaces, and interior glazed brick with rare painted stencils. This building is integral to the Museum’s mission of inspiring connection with New Jersey’s history, culture, trades and crafts. Five phases of restoration have been completed, and the presenters will describe how each phase was achieved, including “lessons learned,” and how the team obtained numerous grants and public funding for the project.
This case study will provide a road map of the planning steps necessary to preserve a building using the latest preservation technology such as thermography, drone photography, and material conservation testing to identify causes of problems such as moisture ingress, and the best material preservation solutions. The presenters will discuss the challenges of managing construction projects at a facility remaining open to the public; the effective use of technology to manage and reduce construction costs; the qualifications for the professional and construction teams; and integrating the exhibits into the setting.
