Conservation Assessment Program
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Transcript of Conservation Assessment Program
Conservation Assessment Program
Preparing for your CAP Site Visitwith CAP assessors M.J. Davis and Julie Reilly
May 21, 2012
The mission of Heritage Preservation is to preserve the nation’s heritage for future generations through
innovative leadership, education, and programs.
Heritage Preservation is a national non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the cultural heritage of the United States. Since 1973, it has
identified threats to collections and has responded with practical and pioneering solutions.
Plan the Assessment Visit Well
Try, at all costs, to have the collections assessor and the historic building assessor visit at the same time
Exchange contact information with both assessors
Send agenda to the assessors and all those involved prior to visit
Confirm all travel arrangements
Make sure payment arrangements
are understood by assessor and
museum
Any way you can make the
assessor’s stay easier or more
comfortable?
Let the local newspaper or town
bloggers know that the assessors
are visiting – spread the word that
you are caring for your collection
and structures
Remember, the CAP Assessor is a guest to your museum and in your community!
Plan Entrance and Exit Interviews with the Assessor
Schedule an icebreaker event
Discuss report preferences
Discuss future relationship between
museum and assessor
Plan for a wrap-up session or briefing
at the end of the assessors’ visit – the
assessors should be able to give a few
hints about the highest priority
recommendations they are likely to
make in their reports
Confirm which staff and board members will be present during the site visit
Schedule volunteers, staff and
board members
Brief them on CAP
If Assessor needs to interview
volunteers, staff and board
members, be sure to schedule
ample time
Make sure the local HVAC
contractors or staff members are
available and scheduled to meet
with the assessors.
Don’t clean up prior to your site visit!
Seeing the normal conditions of collections and exhibitions helps your assessor frame more helpful recommendations
Have a list ready of any areas of special concern within the collections
Choose a few important objects or objects of great concern for the conservator to look at when they are visiting.
Check over the museum’s previous surveys.Provide copies to the assessors if appropriate.
Types of previous reports that
may be relevant to your CAP:
Previous CAP report
Previous MAP report
Reports from any other
conservation/preservation
activities
Historic Structures Report (HSR)
Gather all museum policies and procedures for the assessors to review
Policies to have on hand:
Collections management policy
Collections handling policy
Security policies
Exhibition policies (loan procedures, etc.)
Emergency preparedness plans/procedures
Pest control policies
Building policies and procedures
Gather any environmental data the museum currently collects
Temperature
Relative Humidity
Light levels
Local weather
Pollutant information
Make sure your assessor can access ALL museum collections, wherever they may be stored!
Gather keys, ladders, etc.
Go to off-site storage
Go to all locations with
collections, even unusual
ones
Make sure the assessors
visit all museum buildings
and sites
Have flashlights and
batteries on hand in case
they are needed for light or
for cameras, etc…
www.facebook.com/heritagepreservation
www.twitter.com/HeritagePresDC
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heritage_Preservation
www.heritagepreservation.org
1012 14th Street, NW, Suite 1200Washington, DC 20005Phone: 202-233-0800