Sweet Briar Art Gallery Selected for Assessment Program

From staff reports

The Sweet Briar College Art Gallery has been selected to participate in the Conservation Assessment Program. CAP helps small to mid-sized museums of all types, from art museums to zoos, obtain a general assessment of the condition of their collections, environment and historic buildings.

Following an on-site assessment by a conservation professional, the museum receives a written report recommending priorities to improve collections care. This report assists museums in educating staff and board members on conservation practices, creating long-range and emergency plans, and raising funds to improve the care of their collections.

The Conservation Assessment Program is supported by Heritage Preservation through a cooperative agreement with the Institute of Museum and Library Services. 

Museums from across the country have been accepted to participate in the 2008 program, including the Stanback Museum and Planetarium in Orangeburg, S.C., and the Alaska Museum of Natural History in Anchorage. Since 1990, over 2,500 museums have participated in CAP, including museums in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and several U.S. territories.

“The Heritage Health Index survey of our nation’s collections found that 64 percent of small historical societies and museums do not have a current, written, long-range preservation plan,” Lawrence L. Reger, president of Heritage Preservation, said in a released statement. “For these kinds of institutions, the recommendations and priorities outlined in the CAP report can provide the framework for collections care.”