FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THE LYMAN ALLYN ART MUSEUM AWARDED MAJOR GRANT FOR DIGITAL DOCUMENTATION
Museum Receives $82,914 from Institute of Museum and Library Services for
The Preservation, Documentation, and Enhanced Access to its Collection
September 18, 2014
Lyman Allyn Art Museum
Press Contact: Rebecca Marsie, Communications Coordinator
860.443.2545 x112 / [email protected]
New London – The Lyman Allyn Art Museum is pleased to announce that it has been awarded $82,914 by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) for further work in the preservation and digital documentation of its prized collection. The grant supports enhanced collections stewardship, while improving access to and interpretation of the Lyman Allyn’s many works of art and historical artifacts.
Museums for America grants help museums address their key needs or challenges, enabling them to provide better service to their communities. This year, the Institute of Museum and Library Services received 554 applications, of which 196 received funding.
“We are extremely honored to receive the support and have the confidence of this important federal agency as the Museum prepares to further its mission and make the collection widely accessible,” said Sam Quigley, Director of the Lyman Allyn Art Museum. “We are excited to take the next steps to improve our collections management, and I’m delighted that through digital imaging and documentation we will soon be able to virtually throw open the doors to storage and share the collection with our visitors on the Web.”
The Lyman Allyn Art Museum houses a fascinating collection of over 10,000 objects from ancient times to the present; artworks from Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Europe, with particularly strong collections of American paintings, decorative arts, and Victorian toys and doll houses. The grant will allow the Lyman Allyn to hire a full-time Collections Technician for a period of three years to assist in the project to inventory and re-catalog its entire permanent collection.
Work will focus on the reconciliation of paper and digital records, new imaging of objects, capture of condition and location information, improvement of storage conditions and identification of future projects and conservation priorities. This project will dramatically improve the museum’s ability to preserve and document its collections, but will also support the museum’s educational mission by making the collections more accessible to the public, and available to staff and the scholarly community for the creation of exhibitions and public programs.
IMLS museum grants support a wide variety of projects that create learning experiences, strengthen communities, care for collections and provide broad public access. “Receiving a grant from IMLS is a significant achievement, and we congratulate Lyman Allyn Art Museum for being among the 2014 IMLS museum grantees,” said IMLS Director Susan H. Hildreth. “Our grants are highly competitive. The Institute of Museum and Library Services enlists hundreds of library and museum professionals throughout the United States to review grant applications and make recommendations on projects most worthy of funding.”
A complete list of museum recipients is available on the IMLS website at www.imls.gov/2014MuseumList. For information about IMLS museum grant programs,see:www.imls.gov/applicants/available_grants.aspx.
For more information or to request images please contact Rebecca Marsie at 860.443.2545 x112 or [email protected].
About the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums. Our mission is to inspire libraries and museum to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. Our grant making, policy development, and research help libraries and museums deliver valuable services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
About the Lyman Allyn Art Museum
Lyman Allyn Art Museum is a distinguished art museum located in New London, Connecticut. Founded in 1932 by Harriet Upson Allyn in memory of her father, Lyman Allyn, the museum serves the people of Southeastern Connecticut and general admission is always free to New London residents. The museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and is a non-profit organization with 501(c) 3 status. Housed in a handsome Neo-Classical building designed by Charles A. Platt, the permanent collection includes over 10,000 objects from ancient times to the present: artworks from Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Europe, with particularly strong collections of American paintings, decorative arts, and Victorian toys and doll houses.
The museum is located at 625 Williams Street, New London, Connecticut, exit 83 off I-95. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm, Sundays 1:00 – 5:00 pm; closed Mondays and major holidays. For more information call 860.443.2545, ext. 129 or visit us on Facebook or the web at: www.lymanallyn.org.
