Chester County Historical Society

CHESTER COUNTY: A PLACE IN TIME

CONG. SETASIDES, MUSEUMS

THE CHESTER COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY WILL IMPROVE ARTIFACT CARE AND INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF COLLECTIONS STEWARDSHIP BY CREATING A VISIBLE STORAGE SPACE. THE MUSEUM WILL PURCHASE AND INSTALL LARGE GLASS CASES AND FLAT FILE CABINETS WITH GLASS-COVERED DRAWERS TO INSTALL IN THE 2,000-SQUARE-FOOT CLIMATE-CONTROLLED PUBLIC SPACE. NEARLY 5% OF THE MUSEUM COLLECTION WILL BE REHOUSED, INCLUDING FURNITURE, CERAMICS, SILVER, PEWTER, PAINTINGS, AND TEXTILES. THE MUSEUM WILL ALSO INSTALL FURNITURE TO SUPPORT THREE COMPUTER WORKSTATIONS FOR VISITORS TO ACCESS THE ENTIRE COLLECTIONS DATABASE ELECTRONICALLY. THE PROJECT IS PART OF A LONG-TERM COLLECTIONS STEWARDSHIP PROJECT AND PERMANENT GALLERY REINSTALLATION.

THE CHESTER COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY WILL INCREASE PUBLIC ACCESS TO ITS COLLECTION OF HISTORICAL PHOTOGRAPHS AND MUSEUM ARTIFACTS REFLECTING MORE THAN 300 YEARS OF LIFE IN CHESTER COUNTY. PRIORITIZING MATERIALS FREQUENTLY REQUESTED BY RESEARCHERS, THE MUSEUM WILL CONTRACT WITH A PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER TO DOCUMENT OBJECTS. A PAID GRADUATE STUDENT INTERN WILL ASSIST STAFF AND PROJECT VOLUNTEERS WITH ASSOCIATED DATA ENTRY AND DIGITIZATION. AS A RESULT OF THE PROJECT, THE TEAM WILL MAKE MATERIAL FROM THE PERMANENT COLLECTION MORE EASILY ACCESSIBLE FOR STAFF TO FACILITATE PROGRAM AND EXHIBITION RESEARCH, AS WELL AS MAKE THE DIGITAL RECORDS OF THE COLLECTION ACCESSIBLE ONLINE FOR PUBLIC USE BY RESEARCHERS, SCHOLARS, AND MUSEUM PROFESSIONALS.

DISCRETIONARY

THE CHESTER COUNTY HISTORICAL CENTER (CCHC) OF WEST CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA, WILL VASTLY EXPAND ITS ONLINE COLLECTIONS (INCLUDING LIBRARY AND MUSEUM MATERIALS AND PHOTO ARCHIVES) AND MAKE THEM AVAILABLE TO AN UNLIMITED AUDIENCE IN PERPETUITY. THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC REVEALED CCHC'S NEED TO UPGRADE ITS SYSTEMS AND IMPROVE ITS CAPACITY FOR ONLINE INTERACTION BETWEEN USERS AND COLLECTIONS. THIS PROJECT WILL ALLOW CCHC TO EXPAND PART-TIME COLLECTIONS STAFF HOURS AND HIRE A TEMPORARY DIGITAL TECHNICIAN TO SCAN OR PHOTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND ARTIFACTS, AS WELL AS BACK UP THESE FILES. CCHC WILL MAKE THESE ITEMS AVAILABLE ON WEB-BASED PLATFORMS AS COLLECTIONS IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN. THROUGH THIS PROJECT, THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY WILL IMPROVE ITS CUSTOMER SERVICE, EXPAND ITS ABILITY TO PRESERVE COLLECTIONS, AND INCREASE ITS ABILITY TO IMPLEMENT FUTURE DIGITAL PROJECTS.

CONSERVATION PROGRAM

WHOSE REVOLUTION? [THIS PROJECT COMPRISES TWO COMPONENTS OF AN EXTENSIVE INTERPRETATION ABOUT THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION IN CHESTER COUNTY. THIS IS A POPULAR TOPIC, PARTLY BECAUSE THE LARGEST LAND BATTLE OF THE WAR, THE BATTLE OF BRANDYWINE, TOOK PLACE LESS THAN 5 MILES FROM CCHC. THIS REQUEST IS FOR CONTENT CONSULTANTS AND PORTIONS OF GRAPHIC DESIGN, FABRICATION, AND INSTALLATION FOR A LONG-TERM DISPLAY OF A CHESTER COUNTY-MADE REVOLUTIONARY WAR CANNON AND THE EXPANDED INTERPRETATION OF THE LOCAL STORY IN A CHANGING EXHIBITION (2,000 SQ FT). BOTH WILL BE COMPLETED IN MID-2026. THE EXHIBITION, ON VIEW FROM JULY 2026 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2027, WILL DELVE INTO THE DECADES LEADING UP TO THE WAR, THE IMPACT OF THE CONFLICT, AND THE CHALLENGES AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF POST-REVOLUTION CHESTER COUNTY.]

THE CHESTER COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY WILL CONSERVE A CIVIL WAR UNION ARMY DRUM THAT WAS FOUND ON THE GETTYSBURG BATTLEFIELD IN JULY 1863. THE MUSEUM WILL CONTRACT WITH AN OBJECTS CONSERVATOR TO COMPLETE MATERIALS TESTING TO DEVELOP A FINAL TREATMENT PROPOSAL WHICH WILL INCLUDE STABILIZING, CLEANING, AND JUDICIOUS INPAINTING AND REPLACEMENTS. THE DRUM IS A HIGH PRIORITY ITEM IN THE INSTITUTION'S LONG-RANGE CONSERVATION PLAN AND IS DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO OTHER ARTIFACTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND MANUSCRIPTS IN THE MUSEUM'S LIBRARY AND PHOTO ARCHIVES. WHEN THE TREATMENT IS COMPLETE, THE DRUM WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR RESEARCH, FOR EXHIBITS AT THE MUSEUM, AND FOR LOAN TO OTHER MUSEUMS.

CHESTER COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY WILL PROVIDE TREATMENT AND CONSERVATION FOR SIX PAINTINGS RENDERED IN THE 19TH AND 20TH CENTURIES THAT REPRESENT IMPORTANT SUBJECTS BY LOCAL AND REGIONAL ARTISTS. THE PAINTINGS WERE IDENTIFIED AS TOP PRESERVATION PRIORITIES IN AN IMLS-FUNDED PAINTINGS CONSERVATION SURVEY, AND ALL OF THE PAINTINGS ARE DAMAGED AND UNSTABLE, WITH FLAKING PAINT AND SURFACE GRIME. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO EXHIBIT THEM OR TO CREATE PHOTO REPRODUCTIONS FOR PUBLIC USE. HOWEVER, WITH TREATMENT AND CONSERVATION, ALL SIX PAINTINGS WILL BECOME AVAILABLE FOR INTERPRETATION, EDUCATION, AND SCHOLARSHIP TO A BROAD AUDIENCE FOR THE FIRST TIME.

EXPANSION AND IMPROVEMENT OF WORKS OF ART ON PAPER STORAGE

CONSERVATION ASSESSMENT OF HISTORICAL IRON ARTIFACTS COLLECTION

LIGHT MONITORING AND UV FILTRATION FOR THE CHESTER COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

REHOUSING OF HIDDEN LIBRARY COLLECTIONS

CONSERVATION PROGRAM