Conservation Project Support Program

Note to applicants: The FY 2013 Museums for America program now incorporates proposals previously solicited through the Conservation Project Support program. Read FAQ on FY13 museum program changes. (PDF, 224 KB)

Visit the Museums for America grant program page.

Access FY 2012 Conservation Project Support program Guidelines Online

Conservation Project Support program content on the IMLS Web site:
Post-graduate fellows Ainslie Harrison (left) and Fran Baas (right).
Blog Post: From the Bench: Team Pachacamac Triumphs, Making Peruvian Collections Accessible

December 19, 2012 11:20 AM
Two recent conservation graduates assembled and oversaw a large cadre of volunteers, work-study students, and pre-program interns to survey, relocate, and create customized storage solutions for a 3,600 object collection. They also treated 60 of the artifacts and created a 10,000-image online database for use by researchers near and far. Read More

 
Large Persian rug in lab for conservation treatment
Blog Post: From the Bench: A 400-Year-Old Carpet is Restored to Show Original Persian Artistry

December 19, 2012 11:17 AM
The Frick Collection stabilized a beloved carpet that had been on display for nearly one hundred years with the help of IMLS funding. Read More

 
After view of the DIA store room
Blog Post: From the Bench: Upgrade of American Sculpture and Decorative Arts Storage

December 11, 2012 02:21 PM
With support from IMLS, the Detroit Institute of Arts upgraded storage for its American decorative arts and sculpture collections dating from the beginning of the European settlements until 1950. Read More

 
Aimee Ducey, conservation program intern from New York University, removing accretion from the sacred Hawaiian cloak.
April 2009: Interns Help Restore Sacred Hawaiian Cloaks


The Bishop Museum in Honolulu, Hawaii, will exhibit three newly-repaired 'ahu 'ula, sacred feather cloaks worn by male members of the Hawaiian ali’i, or chiefs, when it reopens the renovated Hawaiian Hall in August. Read More

 
Blessing Christ, before and after. St. Louis Art Museum.
June 2006: Conservation of Polychrome Sculpture, Blessing Christ


Blessing Christ is one few examples of medieval Spanish sculpture represented in American museum collections. Having not been on view for over 30 years, its condition was extremely fragile, before an IMLS grant enabled the St. Louis Art Museum to stabilize the piece. Read More