Between 2006 and 2011, four NEH preservation grants helped the Laramie Plains Museum (LPM) transform from a small volunteer-driven institution with limited hours into a professional museum. Prior to these pivotal investments, LPM struggled to maintain its diverse collections donated by prominent pioneer families. Thanks to these grants, the museum has steadily and dramatically improved its stewardship of the expanding museum’s collections, while helping other cultural institutions in Wyoming improve their preservation practices.
“NEH grants have transformed the Laramie Plains Museum. Learning best practices in storing and caring for them has helped us make best use of what we have. Once we had mostly static exhibits in a historic house. Now we harness the ‘story’ potential of our artifacts to help history come alive for our visitors.”
–Konnie Cronk, Curator/Registrar, Laramie Plains Museum
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Prior to NEH funding, most artifacts not on display were stored in the damp basement of the historic Victorian mansion where they were vulnerable to decay. NEH grants enabled LPM to bring on consultants who taught staff best practices for handling, storing, and organizing their materials and maintaining appropriate environmental conditions. The consultants also encouraged LPM to replace its outmoded cataloguing software. LPM acquired professional-grade storage boxes and learned to rotate textiles on display, including a large collection of antique Navajo blankets, to protect them from fading. And staff learned how to identify the tribal origins of Native American artifacts, how to distinguish authentic relics from commercially-produced merchandise, and how to determine which items fit best with their local history collection and which would be better housed elsewhere.
The historic Victorian mansion that houses the Laramie Plains Museum. Photo Courtesy of Laramie Plains Museum.
Joney Wilmot giving a tour to Junior High students training to become Junior Docents. Photo Courtesy of Laramie Plains Museum.
In the process, LPM has tripled its staff and emerged as a leader among a burgeoning network of local cultural institutions. A consultant hired with grant funds encouraged LPM to reach out to other professionals in the community, leading LPM staff to help convene a local Museum Coalition, which meets monthly to discuss challenges and share resources. The initiative has yielded fruitful partnerships, such as a bi-monthly local history column in the local newspaper and a grant-funded projects with the University of Wyoming and the Wyoming State Archives to preserve and improve access to valuable photographic images. Consultants also taught LPM to make better use of a substantial pool of volunteers. For over a decade now, a committed corps has entered data into the cataloguing system on a weekly basis. Meanwhile, LPM’s Junior Docent Program has grown to include approximately 35 student volunteers each summer, enabling the museum to increase its hours of operation during the busier summer months.
