April 29, 2003 : 10:00 A.M. Eastern Standard Time
Giuliana Bullard [log in to unmask], 703-532-1477
Mamie Bittner [log in to unmask], 202-606-8339
America's Museums Get Help with Conservation and Operations
Washington, DC-Dr. Robert S. Martin, Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, made over $3,900,000 in grants to 351 museums, both large and small, from art galleries to zoos, all across America, to help conserve their collections and improve their operations. The Institute is an independent, federal grantmaking agency that supports the nation's museums and libraries. For a list of grants made to museums in your state today, including grant project descriptions, please see http://www.imls.gov/whatsnew/stategrants0403.htm. For contact information at the museums, please call or e-mail the Institute's press offices noted above.
"With steady and unwavering support the Institute, in partnership with American museums and their professional organizations, has profoundly improved conservation and museum operations in America," noted Director Martin. "Today's awards are made through three popular grant programs at the Institute--the Conservation Project Support Program, the Conservation Assessment Program, and the Museum Assessment Program."
Conservation Project Support grants address critical conservation needs. This year IMLS received 234 applications for these competitive grants and funded 86 with awards totaling $2,750,157. Many of these awards require, at least, a 1:1 match which will result in an additional $4,354,266 in support for collections care. A diversity of projects, from the conservation of paintings by American artists Benjamin West and N.C. Wyeth to the development of satellite telemetry to track rehabilitated marine life, will be funded.
The Conservation Assessment Program is a public-private partnership funded by the Institute and administered by Heritage Preservation, Inc. Federal funds support a two-day on-site visit by conservation professionals who assess the condition of the collections and make recommendations about conservation priorities and long-range planning. The Institute is providing $813,920 to 110 museums for this critical conservation expertise. Heritage Preservation's President, Lawrence L. Reger, praised today's recipients for "making the vital work of caring for collections and sites a priority, ensuring they are available to present and future generations."
The Museum Assessment Program, funded by the Institute and administered by the American Association of Museums, improves professional practices within museums. The program provides an on-site visit by museum professionals who evaluate overall operations and make recommendations. Since 1981, MAP has provided nearly 5,000 assessments leading to improved professional standards and practices. This year 170 museums will participate in the program. "It is an accomplishment worthy of celebrating the long-standing partnership between America's museums and the federal government," remarked Edward Able, President and CEO of the American Association of Museums.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is an independent Federal agency that fosters leadership, innovation, and a lifetime of learning by supporting the nation's 15,000 museums and 122,000 libraries. The Institute encourages partnerships to expand the educational benefit of libraries and museums. For more information about the Institute, please log onto www.imls.gov.
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