Seward House Museum

2020 HPF SAT - SEWARD HOUSE MUSEUM, THE SEWARD HOUSE MUSEUM WILL REMEDY ALMOST A CENTURY OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE WITH SUBSTANTIAL PRESERVATION AND REHABILITATION OF ITS BARN AND CARRIAGE HOUSE.

THE SEWARD HOUSE MUSEUM (SHM) WILL USE FUNDS TO COLLABORATE WITH A MECHANICAL ENGINEERING FIRM AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION ARCHITECTS TO DESIGN AND INSTALL A NEW CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM FOR THE HISTORIC HOUSE. THE 208-YEAR-OLD RESIDENCE HOUSED THE SEWARD FAMILIES FROM ITS ESTABLISHMENT UNTIL THE 1950S. DURING THIS TIME, THE SEWARD FAMILY—HEADED BY WILLIAM HENRY SEWARD, FAMED 19TH-CENTURY STATESMAN—ACCUMULATED A MASSIVE REPOSITORY OF AMERICAN AND INTERNATIONAL MEMORABILIA. CURRENTLY EXPOSED TO A FLUCTUATING INTERIOR CLIMATE, THE SHM’S COLLECTIONS HAVE DETERIORATED AT AN ALARMING RATE. UPON COMPLETION, NEW CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM WILL STABILIZE TEMPERATURE AND RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND ENSURE A SAFER ENVIRONMENT FOR THE SHM’S COLLECTION.

INVESTING IN EDUCATION AND GROWING A DIGITAL HUMANITIES FUTURE AT THE SEWARD HOUSE MUSEUM [BUILDING OFF OF THE FOUNDATION PROVIDED BY A 2020 NEH CARES GRANT, THE SEWARD HOUSE MUSEUM (SHM) SEEKS FUNDING FROM THE NEH ARPHO TO NOT ONLY SUSTAIN MOMENTUM, BUT TO GROW A MORE AMBITIOUS FUTURE AS A FLAGSHIP HUMANITIES HUB IN CENTRAL NEW YORK. WHILE THE PREVIOUS COVID RELIEF SUPPORT OFFERED BOTH A CRITICAL LIFELINE AND A KEY INITIAL INVESTMENT IN DIGITAL EDUCATIONAL CAPACITY, AN AWARD FROM THE CURRENT AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT WOULD CATALYZE A NEW PHASE OF TRANSFORMATIVE GROWTH. SUCH FUNDING WOULD ALLOW SHM EDUCATORS TO MAINTAIN THEIR CURRENT MODEL OF OPERATIONS AND SIMULTANEOUSLY IMPLEMENT THE NEXT GENERATION OF PROJECTS. AMONG THEM: DIGITAL SYMPOSIUMS AND COMMUNITY FORUMS, VIRTUAL EXHIBITS AND COLLECTIONS ARCHIVES, AND DOCUMENTARY-QUALITY VIDEO PRODUCTION?ALL DISSEMINATED AT NO COST TO THE DIVERSE PUBLIC THE MUSEUM SERVES. THE TIMING OF ARPHO IS IDEAL, ALIGNING WITH THE SHM?S STRATEGIC PLAN TO PREPARE FOR THE UPCOMING AMERICAN SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL WITH ITS RICH STORIES OF FREEDOM.] [PURPOSE:?CONTINUATION OF ONLINE PROGRAMMING INCLUDING LECTURES, SYMPOSIUMS, AND FIELDTRIPS BEGUN DURING COVID SHUTDOWNS, PLUS DEVELOPMENT OF NEW EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES ON HISTORICAL SOCIAL MOVEMENTS SUCH AS ANTI-SLAVERY AND SUFFRAGE.  ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: EDUCATORS WILL CREATE A RANGE OF NEW DIGITAL MEDIUMS INCLUDING VIRTUAL SYMPOSIUMS, COMMUNITY FORUMS, FILM FESTIVALS, DOCUMENTARY-STYLE VIDEO PRODUCTIONS, AND THE CREATION OF AN ONLINE COLLECTIONS DATABASE. THIS WORK WILL BE DONE WITH PARTNER INSTITUTIONS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.  EXPECTED OUTCOMES: MATURATION OF THE DIGITAL OFFERINGS OF THE SEWARD HOUSE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER NATIONAL MUSEUMS, UNIVERSITIES, AND ARCHIVES. EXPANSION OF VISITOR ACCESS TO MATERIALS DUE TO ONLINE DELIVERY.  RETENTION OF TWO FULL-TIME STAFF POSITIONS THREATENED BY COVID-19 SHUTDOWNS.  INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: VIRTUAL MUSEUM VISITORS EXPLORING THE HISTORY OF ANTI-SLAVERY AND SUFFRAGE MOVEMENTS.  SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES:?THE RECIPIENT DOES NOT INTEND TO SUBAWARD FUNDS.]

SUSTAINING MUSEUM EDUCATORS DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC

PURCHASE OF FURNITURE TO UPGRADE SEWARD HOUSE MUSEUM'S COLLECTIONS STORAGE [THE SEWARD HOUSE MUSEUM IS SEEKING NEH PRESERVATION ASSISTANCE FOR SMALLER INSTITUTIONS GRANT MONEY TO UPGRADE OUR CURRENT STORAGE SHELVING TO MUSEUM STANDARD CABINETRY. THE MUSEUM WOULD LIKE TO USE THE MONEY TO PURCHASE THREE MID-DEPTH MUSEUM CABINETS WITH GLASS DOORS TO REHOUSE THREE IMPORTANT SUB-COLLECTIONS. THE COLLECTIONS ARE INTEGRAL TO OUR NARRATIVE ABOUT THE SEWARD FAMILY, ALONG WITH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING AND SCHOLARLY RESEARCH REQUESTS. THE MUSEUM IS USING INDUSTRY STANDARDS AND CORE DOCUMENTATION AT THE INSTITUTION TO JUSTIFY THIS ASK.]

PURCHASE OF FURNITURE TO CONTINUE UPGRADE OF SEWARD HOUSE MUSEUM COLLECTIONS STORAGE [THIS GRANT WOULD SUPPORT THE PURCHASE OF MORE UPGRADED STORAGE SOLUTIONS FOR THE SEWARD HOUSE MUSEUM (SHM) TO CONTINUE FULFILLING COLLECTIONS SAFETY IN DIRECT ACCORDANCE WITH OUR FACILITIES MASTER PLAN, OUR 2019-2023 STRATEGIC PLAN, OUR CONSERVATION ASSESSMENT PLAN (CAP), AND WITH CURRENT INDUSTRY STANDARDS. FUNDS FROM NEH?S PRESERVATION ASSISTANCE GRANT WOULD ALLOW THE SHM TO CONTINUE TO UPGRADE FROM ITS CURRENT SHELVING UNITS TO ENCLOSED AND/OR MORE SECURE CABINETS TO BETTER PROTECT COLLECTIONS OBJECTS NOT ON DISPLAY. AS RECOMMENDED BY OUR CAP REPORT, LONG-RANGE COLLECTIONS STORAGE WILL ALWAYS BE A PRIORITY AND THE CURRENT SET-UP POSES A MULTITUDE OF DANGERS AND RISKS TO THE OBJECTS. THE SHM IS NOT CURRENTLY TEMPERATURE OR HUMIDITY REGULATED VIA AN HVAC UNIT, SO THEREFORE THE MUSEUM MUST FOCUS ON OTHER METHODS OF MITIGATION FOR THE COLLECTION. THE NEW DIRECTOR OF COLLECTIONS AND EXHIBITIONS (DCE) WILL PURCHASE ADDITIONAL ARCHIVAL FURNITURE AND INSTALL SIX NEW CABINETS IN THE CURREN]