Good news for one Auburn museum.
The William H Seward House Museum has been awarded $6,490 through a National Endowment for the Humanities Grant. The funding will go to purchase archival cabinets for better storage. Collections and Exhibitions Director Emma Dailey says this will keep their priceless artifacts safe.
“They’re going to protect these artifacts that are, of course, national treasures from the family and life of William Henry Seward,” Dailey told Finger Lakes News Radio. “And these cabinets are going to help protect them from dust, but also environmental factors that could be dangerous for the collections like high humidity or temperature fluctuations.”
Built by Syracuse-based Gaylord Archival, the heavy-duty cabinets feature metal construction and glass windows. Constructed in the early 19th century, the building lacks an HVAC system. Without a climate control system, these cabinets are invaluable for the museum.
“That’s why it’s extra important for us to get these cabinets,” Dailey added. “Until we’re at a point where we can have the nice climate control, these cabinets are really going to be essential in protecting the collections.”
A separate grant the museum received last year allowed it to purchase three cabinets to begin the preservation process. The first cabinets were installed this spring.
The Seward House’s collections include art, photographs, political memorabilia, Civil War artifacts, and ethnographic material.
Created in 1965, the National Endowment for the Humanities is a federal agency designed to support historical research and learning.
