The buffalo soldiers national museum will assess, stabilize, rehouse, and activate collections and archives in its new archival and research hub designed to support preservation, conservation, and…

The Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum $460,454 on September 1, 2026, under the Museum Grants for African American History and Culture program (CFDA 45.309) to assess, stabilize, rehouse, and activate collections and archives in a new integrated Archival and Research Hub.

Project activities include conducting a collection assessment and preservation survey across six material categories, developing a conservation treatment and rehousing priority plan, completing textile assessment reports for approximately 40 priority military uniforms, establishing an environmental monitoring program, and activating the Hub for community use. The museum will hire a Collections Access Manager to coordinate execution and recruit two interns from local colleges and universities. Deliverables include strengthened collections documentation, enhanced preservation for vulnerable items with a museum-wide preservation roadmap, and expanded resources for staff and interns to support scholars, educators, veterans, descendants, and community researchers through finding aids, guided research appointments, and outreach programming.

The recipient, Center For African American Military History, Inc. (doing business as Buffalo Soldiers National Museum), is a nonprofit, minority-owned organization based in Houston, Texas. Performance occurs in Houston, TX 77004. The award period runs from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2028.

The buffalo soldiers national museum will assess, stabilize, rehouse, and activate collections and archives in its new archival and research hub designed to support preservation, conservation, and community access within a single integrated environment. Project activities include conducting a collection assessment and preservation survey across six material categories, developing a conservation treatment and rehousing priority plan, completing textile assessment reports for approximately 40 priority military uniforms, establishing an environmental monitoring program, and activating the archival and research hub for community use. The project supports hiring a collections access manager to coordinate project execution, as well as recruiting two interns from local colleges and universities. The outcome of project activities will be strengthened collections documentation and enhanced preservation for vulnerable collection items with a museum-wide preservation roadmap, and expanded resources for museum staff and interns to support scholars, educators, veterans, descendants, and community researchers through finding aids, guided research appointments, and outreach programming.