Autry Museum of the American West

The Autry Museum of the American West will move its Western Americana collection of 21,000 objects and 5,000 linear feet of archival material to its new, state-of-the-art, LEED-certified Resources Center-a collections care, research, and education facility. During the move, objects will undergo review by the museum's conservators, ensuring that each object has an up-to-date condition report and is barcoded, treated and cleaned, safely housed or rehoused, packed, and moved using best practice techniques. Once at the Resources Center, objects will be stored in rooms outfitted with computerized environmental controls, fire suppression systems, customized storage systems, and round-the-clock security. Preservation and access to the collection are currently hindered by overcrowding and a failing HVAC system. The project will expand accessibility to the collection, enabling curators, scholars, artists, students, and others to explore; research; and engage in fresh thinking about the peoples, cultures, places, and myths of the West.