The SC Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a ReCAP grant from Heritage Preservation and the Institute Of Museum and Library Services.  The Museum had previously been awarded a Conservation Assessment Program (CAP) grant in 1999, prior to moving out of the War Memorial Building.  Because of the time since the earlier survey and the move to the Columbia Mills Building, the museum was eligible to apply for another survey.

ReCAP will provide funds to bring in two assessors, an objects conservator to survey the collections and an architectural surveyor to assess the historic building and environment.  The museum’s previous survey gave several recommendations regarding the care of the collections and their environment.  Of all of the recommendations in the 1999 report, storage is the primary one we have not been able to address to our satisfaction.

The architectural assessor and the conservator both recommended in their 1999 reports that collection storage be housed in closed cabinets, with framed works on racks.  The museum was not able to carry out these provisions, as the storage area in the museum utilized the open shelving left behind by the previous occupants of the space.  The main improvements have been the purchase of two flat storage drawer cabinets and four weapons cabinets.  The collection has grown dramatically in the intervening years, as well, and the storage area is now full in its current configuration.  The Archives storage area has never been upgraded, and also is at or above capacity. 

Before seeking additional grant funding to upgrade the storage areas to high-density or some other system to maximize our storage capacity, the museum will have the guidance of the new surveyors on the best course of action.  Because of the recent expansion of the museum into the cistern area, there are new spaces occupied by staff and exhibits which would benefit from being surveyed, as well.  The staff is excited about the prospect of improving the care we give to our valuable collection, and looks forward to the survey and the recommendations which will follow.

Rachel H. Cockrell, Registrar