06/13/2026
Thank you to everyone who has expressed concern over the safety of the collection during this past week. As a nationally accredited institution, we strive to maintain the highest standards of care for our collection, which can be challenging during a crisis. To ensure long-term preservation on a regular basis, artifacts require stable temperature (68-70) and humidity levels (40-60%), secured storage rooms, clean environments, limited lighting, archivally sound housing materials and keeping items raised roughly 6 inches off the floor in case of flooding. The last few days certainly tested the resolve of our staff and exhaustiveness of our emergency management plan. Staff regulated the temperatures and humidity levels by mopping up standing water, strategically placing battery-powered fans and desiccant buckets, relocating susceptible artifacts, and of course, documenting any critical incidents and cleanup efforts. The Museum was without power for approximately 72 hours with water penetrating four of the collection storage rooms. Our primary concerns were keeping the collections secured, preventing further contaminated water infiltrating, and rapid temperature and humidity fluctuations. Higher than average temperatures and excessive moisture can cause porous artifacts, such as wooden furniture, to swell and warp, saturated works on paper to disintegrate, corrosion and rust formation on metal objects, chemical reactions in volatile materials like photography deteriorating the emulsions and causing images to bleed, and preventing mold growth, which can occur within 12-24 hours with ripe conditions. Staff combatted these factors by working diligently in the dark with flashlights. In the coming days, collections staff will be inspecting those artifacts directly affected by water and continuing to sanitize spaces.
