Exciting news! The Athenaeum has again landed a federal grant to complete the final step in our plan to improve environmental conditions for our museum and library collections.  The $50,000 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) will fund design of new HVAC, fire suppression and electrical systems to support a new space reorganization and collections storage plan for the Athenaeum.

The grant will also fund cost analyses for implementing the new reorganization plan.  The grant work will begin in September of this year; when it is finished, the Athenaeum will be well-positioned to begin applying for grants and fundraising to make the plan a reality.

The Athenaeum was one of just 30 institutions selected from 202 applicants to receive this funding through the IMLS’s new Inspire! Grants for Small Museums initiative.  Our peers in the museum field—as well as the federal government—clearly agree that the Athenaeum’s collections are of great historic and cultural value to the region and our nation.  We take our stewardship of this legacy seriously, and are committed to preserving, caring for and providing access to our remarkable collections for the benefit of all!