Maine Maritime Museum

REDUCING MOISTURE INFILTRATION IN THE MARITIME HISTORY BUILDING

MAINE MARITIME MUSEUM: WATERCRAFT COLLECTION STABILIZATION WITH IMPROVED PUBLIC ACCESS TO VISIBLE STORAGE

THE MAINE MARITIME MUSEUM PLANS TO CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE INVENTORY, CATALOGING, AND DIGITIZATION PROJECT IN ITS PRINCIPAL COLLECTION STORAGE SPACE, WHICH HOLDS MORE THAN 9,000 OBJECTS. THE PROJECT WILL PROVIDE THE MUSEUM WITH SUBSTANTIALLY IMPROVED INTELLECTUAL AND PHYSICAL CONTROL OF A LARGE PORTION OF ITS OBJECT COLLECTION, RESULTING IN INCREASED ACCESS AND IMPROVED COLLECTION CARE. A QUALITY ONLINE CATALOG WILL INCREASE PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE COLLECTIONS, PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REACH WIDER AUDIENCES, AND EXPAND COLLABORATIVE OPPORTUNITIES WITH EDUCATORS AND CULTURAL HERITAGE ORGANIZATIONS. STAFF WILL BE ABLE TO CREATE PROGRAMMING MORE EFFICIENTLY, AND RESEARCHERS WILL HAVE ACCESS TO A MORE ROBUST AND ACCOMMODATING ONLINE DATABASE. THE MUSEUM CURRENTLY CARES FOR MORE THAN 20,000 OBJECTS, OVER 2,000 LINEAR FEET OF ARCHIVAL MATERIAL, AND THOUSANDS OF REFERENCE MATERIALS.

REIMAGINING MAINE MARITIME MUSEUM?S EDUCATION PROGRAMMING POST-CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC [MAINE MARITIME MUSEUM SEEKS TO REDESIGN EXISTING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING AND CREATE NEW PROGRAMS TO ADVANCE THE STUDY OF US MARITIME HISTORY AND ADDRESS POST-PANDEMIC NEEDS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC BROUGHT TO LIGHT SHORTCOMINGS IN THE MUSEUM?S EXISTING PROGRAMMING AND ITS NEED TO DIVERSIFY ITS OFFERINGS AND BETTER CONNECT WITH EVOLVING NATIONAL CONVERSATIONS. IN ITS WAKE, EDUCATIONAL STAFF HAVE DEVELOPED A STRATEGIC PLAN TO DESIGN AND ADAPT EDUCATION PROGRAMS TO BETTER SITUATE MAINE?S MARITIME HISTORY AND CULTURE WITHIN A GLOBALIZED CONTEXT. THESE PROGRAMS WILL SHARE A UNITED EFFORT TO FOSTER STUDENT DISCUSSION AND REFLECTION ON THE IMPACT THAT BOTH MAINE AND THE GLOBALIZED WORLD HAS HAD, AND CONTINUES TO HAVE, ON INDIGENOUS CULTURES AND RACIAL INEQUALITIES.] [PURPOSE:?THE PURPOSE OF THIS GRANT IS TO REDESIGN EXISTING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING AND CREATE NEW PROGRAMS, IN ORDER TO ADVANCE THE STUDY OF U.S. MARITIME HISTORY, AND TO SITUATE MAINE'S MARITIME HISTORY AND CULTURE WITHIN A GLOBALIZED CONTEXT.  ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: FOUR SETS OF?NEW?AND?ONGOING?EDUCATION?PROGRAMS: 1)?SENSE OF PLACE,?WHICH?BRINGS?SIX HUNDRED?LOCAL STUDENTS?TO EXPLORE LOCAL HISTORY AT?MMM; 2)?MERRYMEETING?BAY CRUISE,?WHICH?TAKES?STUDENTS TO?THE WATERWAY THAT SHAPED WABANAKI CULTURE;?3)?CROSSCURRENTS, AN?INTENSIVE THREE-WEEK SUMMER PROGRAM;?AND?4)?A?STUDENT-CURATED EXHIBIT ON THE SLAVE TRADE, IN?COLLABORATION?WITH THE?DEPARTMENT OF AFRICANA STUDIES?AT?BOWDOIN COLLEGE.?  EXPECTED OUTCOMES:?THESE PROGRAMS?WOULD?ENGAGE STUDENTS AND?WOULD ALSO?ALLOW?THE MUSEUM TO RETAIN THE POSITIONS OF?MANAGER OF?EDUCATION AND?EDUCATION?COORDINATOR.?  INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, AS WELL AS UNDERGRADUATES FROM POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTIONS.  SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES:?THE RECIPIENT DOES NOT INTEND TO SUBAWARD FUNDS.]

ASSESSMENT OF PRESERVATION ENVIRONMENTS [MAINE MARITIME MUSEUM REQUESTS $10,000 TO FUND AN ASSESSMENT OF PRESERVATION ENVIRONMENTS IN THE MARITIME HISTORY BUILDING WITH A PRIMARY FOCUS ON SYSTEMS SERVING COLLECTIONS STORAGE AND EXHIBITION AREAS. THE ASSESSMENT WILL EVALUATE THE CURRENT IMPACT OF THE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION AND RELEVANT MECHANICAL SYSTEMS ON THE OVERALL PRESERVATION OF COLLECTIONS IN THE MUSEUM. THE ASSESSMENT IS A CRITICAL STEP IN PRIORITIZING COLLECTIONS PRESERVATION IN LONG-TERM STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR FACILITIES AS WELL AS IDENTIFYING AND SEQUENCING CAPITAL INVESTMENTS.]