The henry ford will clean, rehouse, and create digital catalog records for over 300 artifacts relating to energy, mobility, communications and information technology

The Henry Ford Museum was awarded a $597,654 Project Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under the Museums for America (CFDA 45.301) program. The grant will support the museum's efforts to clean, rehouse, and create digital catalog records for over 300 artifacts relating to energy, mobility, communications, and information technology. This project aims to address issues of overcrowding, dirt, mold, and associated artifact deterioration in the museum's storage area, while also increasing physical and virtual access to these essential collection items. Key activities include cleaning and remediating mold on the artifacts, updating catalog records, and stabilizing and conserving approximately 100 prioritized objects, which will then be photographed and added to the museum's digital collections. The grant will enable the museum and its staff to have greater access to the objects in the collection through the creation of comprehensive catalog records and digital images that will be made widely available through the museum's online collection portal.

The project will address issues of overcrowding, dirt, mold, and associated artifact deterioration in the storage area, while fostering both physical and virtual access to essential collections items. Museum staff will clean the artifacts and remediate mold as needed, update catalog records, and assess which objects are most at risk of deterioration. About 100 prioritized objects will be stabilized, receive additional conservation treatment, photographed, and added to museum's digital collections. The museum and the staff will benefit from having greater access to the objects in the collection through the creation of catalog records and digital images that will be available widely through the online collection portal.