Based on the findings of a previous imls award, the chester county history center will improve the care and preservation of its collections by conducting a conservation survey of 360 framed works on…

The Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded the Chester County Historical Society $103,578 on September 1, 2026, under the Museums for America program (CFDA 45.301) to conduct a conservation survey and improve care of 360 framed works on paper held at the Chester County History Center in West Chester, Pennsylvania.

The recipient will engage conservation consultants to conduct an onsite survey, create detailed preservation notes for each object, and unframe and then reframe or rehouse the artworks. Museum staff and trained volunteers will edit digital records and create a final inventory of the works, the majority of which are portraits of local people and landscapes by local artists in a wide variety of media. The project will result in improved storage conditions and a final report with detailed conservation recommendations that prioritize future conservation treatment. The recipient will purchase archival supplies to support the effort.

The period of performance runs through August 31, 2027. This award follows a previous IMLS grant that informed the current conservation approach.

Based on the findings of a previous imls award, the chester county history center will improve the care and preservation of its collections by conducting a conservation survey of 360 framed works on paper. Museum staff and trained volunteers will edit digital records and create a final inventory of the artworks, the majority of which are portraits of local people and landscapes by local artists in a wide variety of media. The museum will purchase archival supplies and engage conservation consultants, who will conduct the survey onsite with the assistance of museum staff. The conservators will create detailed preservation notes about each object, unframe, and then reframe or rehouse the artworks. The project will result in improved storage conditions, and a final report will provide detailed conservation recommendations that will prioritize future conservation treatment.