The goldstein museum of design at the university of minnesota will photograph 1,300 objects in its collection and add the images to its collections database, which IT makes freely available online

The Goldstein Museum of Design at the University of Minnesota received a $499,836 Project Grant award from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Museums for America (MFA) program to photograph 1,300 objects in its collection and add the images to its publicly available online collections database. This project will enhance the museum's preservation and intellectual control over its collection, while also increasing accessibility for researchers, students, faculty, and design organizations. The award will support part-time staff hires, including an object preparator, photographer, and undergraduate assistant, to complete this digitization effort. This MFA grant project, with an award date of September 1, 2024 and an ultimate completion date of May 31, 2027, aligns with the program's goals of strengthening museums' abilities to serve the public, preserve cultural heritage, and engage diverse audiences through innovative programming.

The objects selected for photography represent a range of design disciplines. The project will support temporary part-time staff hires including an object preparator, photographer, and undergraduate assistant. The project will result in better intellectual control over the collection for museum staff and will enhance preservation with reduced handling of the objects. In addition, the digital products produced will enable the museum to increase the accessibility of the collection for researchers, students, faculty, and design organizations.