As the nation approaches the 250th anniversary of the United States, the Sandwich Glass Museum & Historical Society has an opportunity—and a responsibility—to ensure that the objects entrusted to its care are preserved, protected, and accessible for generations to come.

This fundraising campaign supports critical preservation and collections care initiatives that will strengthen the Museum’s ability to responsibly steward its collections while improving long-term storage, organization, and access.

Housed in a historic building with portions dating to around 1810 and later 20th-century additions, the Museum faces the same challenges confronting many collecting institutions: how to adapt historic spaces to meet modern preservation standards while continuing to care for growing collections responsibly.

The Case for Support

Glass, textiles, paper, paintings, photographs, and other historic materials are often assumed to be permanent. In reality, they are highly sensitive to environmental conditions and physical handling.

• Glass can develop crizzling, weeping, and surface instability.
• Textiles can fade, weaken, and become brittle with exposure to light and fluctuating humidity.
• Paper and archival materials deteriorate in unstable environments.
• Paintings stored improperly face risks from abrasion, warping, and accidental damage.

Once deterioration begins, it cannot be reversed. It can only be slowed or prevented through proper care, storage, and environmental stability.

Professional museum standards emphasize that stewardship requires safe facilities, stable environmental conditions, appropriate storage systems, and proactive collections management. Studies within the museum field indicate that inadequate storage conditions remain one of the greatest risks facing collections worldwide.

Since 1907, the Sandwich Glass Museum & Historical Society has been entrusted with preserving the history of Sandwich—one object, one photograph, and one story at a time. That responsibility continues today.

The Need

To properly care for the collection and ensure long-term preservation, the Museum must strengthen its ability to provide:

• Stable display and storage environments that reduce fluctuations in temperature and humidity
• Protection from harmful light exposure, including upgrades that reduce UV damage
• Appropriate archival housing and storage systems for collections of varying materials and sizes
• Safer storage for paintings and framed works currently lacking proper vertical storage systems
• Improved storage shelving, organization, and access that reduce handling risks
• Dedicated workspace for collections documentation and photography
• Expanded capacity to responsibly steward and grow the collection

The Museum is currently evaluating a phased reorganization and improvement of several collection storage spaces, including:

• A climate-controlled collections care room for archives, textiles, and sensitive materials
• Improved mixed-object storage for historical society collections and glass
• Specialized boxed storage for smaller collections and less frequently accessed materials
• New painting storage systems to safely house framed works

These are not cosmetic enhancements—they are essential conditions for preservation.

What This Campaign Makes Possible

Support for this effort will:

• Protect irreplaceable objects from preventable deterioration
• Improve environmental conditions for sensitive collections
• Reduce risks associated with overcrowding and improper storage
• Extend the life of the Museum’s collections
• Improve access for research, exhibitions, education, and public engagement
• Create safer and more efficient collections workspaces
• Strengthen the Museum’s role as a steward of local and national history

This work is not simply about storing objects. It is about ensuring that the stories, craftsmanship, and historical record represented by the collection remain accessible for future generations.

Why Now

America 250 is a moment to reflect not only on the nation’s past, but on our responsibility to the future. Much of museum history is preserved not in galleries, but in storage. The decisions we make today will determine whether these objects—and the stories they represent—are preserved for the next 250 years.

Preservation is not passive. It requires ongoing care, stable conditions, thoughtful planning, and sustained investment.

This campaign offers an opportunity to transform behind-the-scenes collections care into a visible and meaningful commitment to preservation, stewardship, and public trust.

The Goal

We aim to raise $120,000 to install new cabinets, shelving, work areas, window protection, and environmental monitoring in three separate storage areas.

We hope you will see your way clear to supporting us this summer.