Conservation Assessment Program

1. Conservation Assessment Program Preparing for your CAP Site Visit with CAP assessors M.J. Davis and Julie Reilly May 21, 2012

2. 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. 

3. Today’s Speakers Julie Reilly M.J. Davis

4. 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

5. Remember, the CAP Assessor is a guest to your museum and in your community! • 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

6. 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

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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)

10. 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

11. Gather any environmental data the museum currently collects • Temperature • Relative Humidity • Light levels • Local weather • Pollutant information

12. 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…

13. Questions? Contact the CAP staff at 202-233-0800 or at cap@heritagepreservation.org for more information

14. www.facebook.com/heritagepreservation www.twitter.com/HeritagePresDC en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heritage_Preservation www.heritagepreservation.org 1012 14th Street, NW, Suite 1200 Washington, DC 20005 Phone: 202-233-0800