Hi Erin (again), I completely agree with David and Ware. I glossed over the fact that prior to any renovation work being done at any of our sites, collections and conservation issues are discussed months in advance (including on-site visits) with the curator in charge of the project, facilities staff (architect in charge of the renovation work), and the site manager. On the scheduled day of the removal of objects (weather permitting), I typically show up at the site with our Registrar, two asst. registrars, two asst. curators, and several volunteers, and a number of vehicles, e.g. our collections van, our 16' box van with a power-lift tailgate, a full compliment of moving blankets, straps, boxes, bubble-wrap, micro-foam, stretch-wrap (very useful), flashlights, and the proper tools to disassemble objects if necessary (beds, tall-case clocks, bookcases, etc). Photos (digital reference images) are taken of the room settings with every object in-place (very useful if you are reinstalling the rooms exactly as they were) to visually confirm the existence of every object. The Registrar has a complete object inventory of the site, sorted by room, no object is removed from the room until it is cross-checked with the inventory, the catalog number and object description are recorded on our transfer sheet, and a digital image is taken of the object with the catalog number written on an erasable marker board in the foreground of the image, accompanied by a ruled (in centimeters) gray scale and color bar for reference. Any obvious damage or condition concerns are brought to my attention at this time and if necessary, the object is flagged for delivery to the Objects Conservation Lab (where I can perform the necessary treatment) instead of being delivered to our Collections Storage Facility. The object is then packed and loaded on the truck. Finally, within 24 hours after the move, all of the object's location changes are updated by the Registrar in our collections database. Prior to returning the objects to the site, I examine every object; it is cleaned and/or treated if necessary, and repacked for return trip. And last, but not least, I perform an environmental survey of the site (temperature, %RH, visible light, and UV light) and any concerns are addressed before the objects are returned. While I have made these types of moves many times and they have become rather routine, the one bit of advice I can give based on many years of experience is: move all of your collections objects off-site while the renovation work is being done as you will not be able to adequately protect them regardless of how well they are packed or stored on-site. Good Luck! Russ Russell P. Arledge Collections Facility Manager Collections, Historic Preservation & Statewide Outreach The Ohio Historical Society 1982 Velma Avenue Columbus, Ohio 43211-2497, USA 614.298.2051 // Fax: 614.298.2096 e-mail: mailto:[log in to unmask] Visit our Web site: http://www.ohiohistory.org/ -----Original Message----- From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of L.W.S. Petznick Sent: Thursday, September 13, 2007 4:22 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Your experiences with restoration process Hello Erin! I agree with Russ. Getting objects out of harm's way is the best plan of attack... bear in mind HOW you are going to move them, the path, the method of moving, the weather... for example, I had scheduled movers to return objects to the Carriage house of the McFaddin-Ward House after it was restored with a new roof. They were supposed to have done it this morning... Good thing we noticed rain - let alone a hurricane - and I changed the reinstall to a day without rain yesterday. Good to schedule a rain date and use an extended forecast to help plan the move. Another token of advice is to be sure to check often the objects that have been moved or "protected." Numerous reasons for this, but the change in environment means that your good intentions to get objects away from construction and dust may backfire by not maintaining watch over things covered or shut away in a store room. Security, mold, uninformed staff who may turn a corner and injure themselves or objects by accident... As for the HVAC itself, give the building and system time to adjust itself before reintroducing collections. Furthermore, the new system should have MULTIPLE MONITORING POINTS for temp and RH and multiple VENTS- not just one on each floor but several of each spaced out across the floor. Rooms facing south or near trees will react differently to external changes to temp and humidity, which means that the internal temp/RH may be just fine near the central control but not in other rooms. While many systems are supposed to self-monitor and adjust to different conditions, you will still need to have HOBO units spread out to monitor it. All this described an ideal situation that is costly, but in the long run preventative measures cost less than conservation and can prevent irreparable damage to your objects. Finally, maintain communication with all vendors and members of staff so that the good work being done to one aspect of the house does not hinder progress elsewhere because of scheduling issues. Ware >----- ------- Original Message ------- ----- >From: Russ Arledge <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Sent: Thu, 13 Sep 2007 15:17:09 > >Hi Erin, > > > >Pack-up all of your objects and move them off-site >until the restoration >project is completed! > > > >OHS owns/manages 56 sites around Ohio; >approximately half are sites with >collections, and quite a few of those sites are >historic structures, >e.g. Adena Mansion, Harding Home, Dunbar House, >Grant Boyhood Home, etc. >I have found it is imperative that the objects are >removed from the >building(s) and stored off-site while renovation >work is taking place as >it is virtually impossible to keep dirt, plaster >dust (very abrasive), >etc from migrating on/into objects regardless of >how well they are >packed and protected. > > > >Next week I am returning furniture to one of our >managed sites, where we >just completed paint, wallpapering and floor >covering in several rooms. >There was never any thought given to working around >the objects or >storing them on-site; we simply removed the objects >from harm's way >until the work was completed. One benefit to >removing the objects is >while they are in temporary storage (our >Collections Storage Facility), >I can examine each object and any >cleaning/conservation treatment, >exhibit prep work can be performed before the >objects are returned to >the site. > > > >Hope this helps, > > > >Russ > > > >Russell P. Arledge > >Collections Facility Manager > >Collections, Historic Preservation & Statewide >Outreach > >The Ohio Historical Society > >1982 Velma Avenue > >Columbus, Ohio 43211-2497, USA > >614.298.2051 // Fax: 614.298.2096 > >e-mail: mailto:[log in to unmask] > >Visit our Web site: http://www.ohiohistory.org/ > > > >________________________________ > >From: Museum discussion list >[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On >Behalf Of Erin Crissman >Sent: Thursday, September 13, 2007 1:30 PM >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: [MUSEUM-L] Your experiences with >restoration process > > > >Hello List: > >Within the next 6-12 months, Historic Cherry Hill >will be embarking on a >large restoration project on our 1787 historic >house. There are three >major areas of work: window re-build and/or repair, >HVAC design and >installation, plaster repair and wallpaper >replacement. > >My question for you all is in regard to the process >and care of >exhibited collections during that process. If >anyone has experience they >would like to share, I would certainly welcome it. >We are going to be >making field trips to two large local historic >sites who recently >completed restoration, but wanted to get a message >out further afield to >collect as many responses as possible. Thank you! > > >-- >Erin Elizabeth Crissman >Curator >Historic Cherry Hill >523 1/2 South Pearl St. >Albany, NY 12202 >www.historiccherryhill.org >[log in to unmask] >p.518.434.4791 >f.518.434.4806 >=================================================== >====== >Important Subscriber Information: > >The Museum-L FAQ file is located at >http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may >obtain detailed >information about the listserv commands by sending >a one line e-mail >message to [log in to unmask] . The body >of the message should >read "help" (without the quotes). > >If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one >line e-mail message >to [log in to unmask] . The body of the >message should read >"Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes). > > >=================================================== >====== >Important Subscriber Information: > >The Museum-L FAQ file is located at >http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may >obtain detailed information about the listserv >commands by sending a one line e-mail message to >[log in to unmask] . The body of the >message should read "help" (without the quotes). > >If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one >line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] >. The body of the message should read "Signoff >Museum-L" (without the quotes). L.W.S. Petznick, Ph.D. Curator of Collections McFaddin-Ward House 725 N. 3rd St Beaumont, TX 77701 409.832.1906 ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes). ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).