Columbus Museum selected for prestigious CAP program

COLUMBUS ( AP) — There are only 75 places in America that have been chosen for the inaugural Collections Assessment for Preservation program, and The Columbus Museum is one of them.

The initiative, known as the CAP program, is a new venture from the Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artist Works. The program works to gauge the strengths and needs of individual institutions in the area of coll ection care. This i s achieved through a thorough examination of each collection, site and interviews with staff members present at the time of the examination.

“The CAP program offers fresh perspectives as part of the museum’s longterm planning for our collections storage area,” said Aimee Brooks, collections manager at The Columbus Museum. “Collections care is essential from the moment new pieces enter the Museum. The CAP assessment will further enhance our ability to properly care for our current collection as well as future acquisitions with recommendations for storage solutions.”

According to the museum, “a team of two preservation professionals will spend two days surveying the site and meeting with staff before preparing a comprehensive report that will identify preventive conservation priorities.”

The CAP program is administered by FAIC through a partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services, a federal grant making agency that supports museums and libraries. The FAIC places a high importance on conservation education and outreach services, while the IMLS remains the primary source of federal support for the nation’s libraries and museums.

The Columbus Muse- um’s CAP program participation is made possible by a grant from the 2017 CAP organization.

“The grant from the 2017 Collections Assessment for Preservation program enables The Columbus Museum to have a comprehensive conservation assessment, including of our collections storage,” said Marianne Richter, director of The Columbus Museum. “We are grateful to have received this grant from the Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. We look forward to having experts in the field of conservation visit the Museum for review and recommendations.”