HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) — The Hampton University Museum has been awarded $218,669 from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Museum Grants for African American History and Culture.
The grant will expand the accessibility of the museum’s African American art collection through a three-year collection management software implementation project.
“Thank you to the Institute of Museum and Library Services for continuing to support us, and allow for expansion of the Hampton University Museum, the nation’s oldest African American museum and one of the oldest museums in Virginia,” said Hampton University President, Dr. William R. Harvey.
“This grant will ensure that our Museum can continue to preserve the rich heritage and legacy of our galleries that are dedicated to African American, Native American, Asian and Pacific art and artifacts.”
The museum will be able to hire a data manager to input data to its collections management system on paintings, prints, photographs, sculpture, and fiber arts.
The collections data manager will lead training sessions for the museum’s curatorial team to ensure their proficiency in using the software system and their ability to carry on the work at the end of the grant period. In each year of the project, four student interns will work with the staff to scan curatorial records including catalog cards and accession paperwork.
As part of the grant, the museum will present small, online exhibitions that will make the collections more fully accessible to scholars, educators, students, and the public.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government whose mission is to provide lifelong learning, build the capacity of museums and libraries, increase public access to information, ideas and networks through libraries and museums, and to achieve excellence.