The wray museum will undertake a three-year project to perform a full inventory assessment of over 13,000 objects prior to moving the material into a new building to improve stewardship and increase…

The City of Wray received a $500,000 Project Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under the Museums for America program (CFDA 45.301) awarded October 1, 2025, with completion scheduled for September 30, 2028. The grant supports a comprehensive three-year collections management initiative at the Wray Museum, which will conduct a full inventory assessment and cataloging of over 13,000 objects in preparation for relocation to a new facility. Key deliverables include digitization of collection materials, rehousing of objects in archival-quality materials, and procurement of compact storage units to be installed in a climate-controlled environment.

Project staffing includes a full-time move coordinator and two part-time paid interns who will collaborate with existing museum personnel to execute cataloging, digitization, and rehousing activities. Upon completion, the initiative will enhance the long-term stewardship of the collection while expanding public access through research, exhibition, and community programming opportunities. This project aligns with the Museums for America program's emphasis on collections stewardship and public engagement through strategic, project-based efforts to strengthen museum capacity.

The wray museum will undertake a three-year project to perform a full inventory assessment of over 13,000 objects prior to moving the material into a new building to improve stewardship and increase public access to the collection. The project will support a temporary full-time move coordinator and two part-time paid interns, who will work closely with museum staff to undertake project activities, which will include cataloging, digitization, rehousing, and purchasing compact storage units and needed archival materials. This initiative will extend the useful life of the collection preserved in a climate-controlled environment for research, exhibition, and public programming.