Western Kentucky University’s Kentucky Museum has received a $48,384 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to upgrade the climate control systems in the building.
The National Endowment for the Humanities has awarded grants for 226 projects around the country, one of which has been given to Western Kentucky University’s Kentucky Museum. The Kentucky Museum is one of three projects in Kentucky to receive a grant from the NEH. The grant is for $48,384 and comes from the Endowment’s Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections Grants program.
Shelly C. Lowe is Chair at the National Endowment for the Humanities and was quoted in Western Kentucky University’s press release speaking on the grants: “NEH is proud to support the many scholars, curators, storytellers, filmmakers, and teachers who are helping preserve, examine, and share the country’s rich and expansive history and culture. From books and documentaries to the preservation of cultural heritage materials, these 226 exceptional projects will foster the exchange of ideas and increase access to humanities knowledge, resources, and experiences.”
Director of the Kentucky Museum Brent Bjorkman shared his feelings on the grant and partnership with the NEH, saying, “It is an exciting honor to be recognized as one of three applicants from our state to receive this Sustaining Cultural Heritage grants from such an important federal partner. As a trusted repository of Kentucky art, history and culture for WKU and the Commonwealth, the Kentucky Museum is grateful to the NEH for their support to allow us to further our ever-evolving work to safeguard our publicly-held treasures.”
The nearly $50,000 will be used to upgrade the existing climate control systems of the museum’s building by adding measures to stabilize temperatures and humidity levels. Involved in the project will be several groups from the museum and university as well as Kerr-Greulich, Inc., and conservator Steven Weintraub.
This push to improve the climate control systems in the building comes as part of the museum’s Preservation Environment Improvement Plan, a multi-year project that has been fully grant-funded to this point. The goal is to achieve proper standards of artifact preservation, as well as improve visitor comfort.
Tiffany Isselhardt, museum exhibit curator and development coordinator, spoke on the importance of the program, saying, “Preservation is a largely unseen, yet major part, of museum’s duty to the public. Temperature, humidity, and light levels can impact the lifespan of artifacts, so ensuring that every space is able to meet the needs of artifacts on display and in storage is critical to prolonging the useful life of our collections. The continued support of NEH for this project has been invaluable to us, and we are thrilled to continue our journey of ensuring that Kentucky’s heritage is preserved long into the future.”
The National Endowment for the Humanities started in 1965 as an independent federal agency to support research and learning in history, literature, philosophy, and the humanities as a whole. The NEH funds proposals from all over the country for all manner of projects.
The Kentucky Museum is part of Western Kentucky University’s campus and is a staple of South-Central Kentucky. The museum works to help support the academic and cultural goals of the university while also providing an educational experience for the community. The museum is free to enter and received more than 30,000 visitors last year.