The Mark Twain Memorial

CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING - HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND GRANTS-IN-AID AWARDED THROUGH CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING ASSIST IN THE IDENTIFICATION, EVALUATION, AND PROTECTION OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES BY SUCH MEANS AS EDUCATION, SURVEY, PLANNING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, PRESERVATION, DOCUMENTATION, AND FINANCIAL INCENTIVES LIKE GRANTS AND TAX CREDITS AVAILABLE FOR HISTORIC PROPERTIES. THE GRANTS SUPPORT A BROAD RANGE OF PRESERVATION PROJECTS FOR HISTORIC PROPERTIES INCLUDING ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES, HISTORIC STRUCTURE REPORTS, PRESERVATION PLANS, AND PHYSICAL PRESERVATION TO SITES IN KEEPING WITH THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIORS STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES FOR ARCHEOLOGY AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION. BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE STATES, TRIBES, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND NONPROFITS AS DESIGNATED BY CONGRESS. THIS PROJECT IS AWARDED TO THE NONPROFIT, MARK TWAIN MEMORIAL, FOR HVAC IMPROVEMENTS AND PORCH REPAIRS OF THE MARK TWAIN HOUSE, A NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK.

THE MARK TWAIN HOUSE AND MUSEUM WILL DEVELOP A CAPACITY-BUILDING INITIATIVE FOR STAFF AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO IMPROVE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT BY PLACING AUDIENCES AT THE CENTER OF THE MUSEUM’S WORK. THE MUSEUM WILL BUILD STAFF CAPACITY TO IDENTIFY AND MEET COMMUNITY NEEDS BY LEARNING ABOUT AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT TOPICS AND TOOLS. THESE LEARNINGS WILL THEN BE PUT INTO PRACTICE THROUGH EVALUATION AND PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT.  PROJECT ACTIVITIES INCLUDE A SERIES OF LEARNING WORKSHOPS THAT WILL GENERATE AN AUDIENCE EVALUATION PLAN AND A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN. THE PROJECT WILL RESULT IN STAFF CREATING THREE PILOT OFFERINGS — INCLUDING A NEW PUBLIC PROGRAM, A NEW HOUSE TOUR, AND A NEW EXHIBITION COMPONENT — AS WELL AS INCREASED STAFF CAPACITY TO IMPLEMENT AUDIENCE-CENTERED PRACTICES.

HUCK, JIM AND JIM CROW: A WORKSHOP FOR TEACHERS

MARK TWAIN AND THE CULTURE OF PROGRESS

HUCKLEBERRY FINN IN POST-RECONSTRUCTION AMERICA: MARK TWAIN'S HARTFORD YEARS, 1871-1891, A WORKSHOP FOR TEACHERS

SUSTAINING CORE HUMANITIES PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES OF THE MARK TWAIN HOUSE & MUSEUM [THE MARK TWAIN HOUSE & MUSEUM SERVES THE PUBLIC AND PROMOTES THE HUMANITIES BY PRESERVING THE RESTORED MARK TWAIN HOUSE, WHICH IS A NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK, AND MAKING IT ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC; BY CARING FOR, AND MAKING AVAILABLE, A COLLECTION OF MORE THAN 20,000 HISTORIC ARTIFACTS; BY SERVING AS A RESOURCE FOR HUMANITIES SCHOLARS; BY PRESENTING NUMEROUS PROGRAMS FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT EXPLORE THEMES IN THE HUMANITIES; AND BY OFFERING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS IN THE HUMANITIES FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS. THE GRANT WILL SUPPORT THE MUSEUM?S CONTINUATION OF THESE ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS BY ENSURING THE RETENTION OF TWO KEY EDUCATION AND CURATORIAL STAFF POSITIONS. THESE POSITIONS ARE INTEGRAL TO THE CARE AND INTERPRETATION OF ITS HISTORIC ASSETS AND TO THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF ITS EDUCATIONAL AND PUBLIC PROGRAMMING.] [PURPOSE:? FUNDS TO SUSTAIN CORE HUMANITIES PROGRAMMING AT THE MARK TWAIN HOUSE & MUSEUM BY FUNDING TWO FULL-TIME STAFF POSITIONS, COORDINATOR OF EDUCATION AND ASSISTANT CURATOR.  ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: ON-GOING PRESERVATION, CARE, AND ACCESS TO A COLLECTION OF 20,000 HISTORIC ARTIFACTS AT THE MARK TWAIN HOUSE. CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR SCHOOL AND GENERAL PUBLIC AUDIENCES.  EXPECTED OUTCOMES: THE CONTINUATION OF CORE MUSEUM HUMANITIES FUNCTIONS IN THE MONTHS FOLLOWING REOPENING OF THE HOUSE AND MUSEUM AFTER THE COVID-19 SHUTDOWN. RETENTION OF TWO STAFF MEMBERS.   INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: VISITORS TO THE MARK TWAIN HOUSE INCLUDING THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND STUDENTS. SCHOLARS AND RESEARCHERS WHO REQUIRE ACCESS TO THE INSTITUTION?S COLLECTIONS.   SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES:?THE RECIPIENT DOES NOT INTEND TO SUBAWARD FUNDS.]

VISITOR AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES

"THE MARK TWAIN HOUSE AND MUSEUM WILL WORK WITH PROFESSIONAL CONSERVATORS TO TREAT COLLECTION ITEMS THAT BELONGED TO SAMUEL CLEMENS ('MARK TWAIN') AND HIS FAMILY FOUR PIECES OF 19TH CENTURY FURNITURE BELONGING TO AND USED BY CLEMENS AND HIS FAMILY, AND A CARVED WOODEN GLOVE BOX CREATED BY HIS DAUGHTER. THE PROJECT WILL ADDRESS CONDITION PROBLEMS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED IN PREVIOUS CONSERVATION ASSESSMENTS OF THE ITEMS. THESE OBJECTS ARE INVALUABLE TO THE ACCURATE AND COMPREHENSIVE INTERPRETATION OF THE HOUSE, PROVIDING INSIGHT INTO UPPER CLASS DOMESTIC LIFE OF THE GILDED AGE ERA AND ILLUSTRATING LATE 19TH CENTURY TRENDS IN FURNITURE AND D?COR, AS WELL AS THE LIVES OF CHILDREN. AFTER THE TREATMENT ACTIVITIES ARE COMPLETED, THE FURNITURE AND OBJECTS WILL BE STABLE AND THUS AVAILABLE FOR DISPLAY IN EXHIBITIONS AND FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH OTHER PUBLIC PROGRAMS."

MUSEUMS FOR AMERICA

THE MARK TWAIN HOUSE AND MUSEUM WILL WORK WITH A CONSERVATOR TO TREAT MATERIAL FROM ITS COLLECTION OF OBJECTS THAT BELONGED TO AUTHOR SAMUEL CLEMENS, ALSO KNOWN AS MARK TWAIN. THE ITEMS THAT WILL RECEIVE CONSERVATION TREATMENTS INCLUDE SIX WOVEN POCKETS FROM CLEMENS’ BILLIARD TABLE AND A TRAVEL TRUNK. THE CONSERVATION TREATMENTS WILL ADDRESS CONDITION PROBLEMS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED THROUGH PREVIOUS DETAILED CONSERVATION ASSESSMENTS. AFTER THE CONSERVATION TREATMENTS ARE COMPLETED, THE POCKETS WILL BE RE-ATTACHED TO THE BILLIARD TABLE, AND THE TRUNK WILL BE PUT ON DISPLAY IN A PERMANENT EXHIBIT ABOUT THE LIFE AND WORK OF CLEMENS.

THE MARK TWAIN HOUSE & MUSEUM BOOK PRESERVATION PROJECT [THROUGH THIS PROJECT, THE MARK TWAIN HOUSE & MUSEUM WILL ACQUIRE SUPPLIES TO ENABLE IT TO PROPERLY CARE FOR AND PRESERVE RARE AND HISTORIC BOOKS IN ITS COLLECTIONS. THESE SUPPLIES WILL INCLUDE ARCHIVAL-QUALITY, CUSTOM-FIT BOXES IN WHICH TO STORE BOOKS, SUPPLIES TO CONSTRUCT CUSTOM SUPPORTS FOR BOOKS DISPLAYED ON SHELVES, AND BOOK CRADLES AND STRAPS TO SUPPORT BOOKS WHILE THEY ARE IN USE. THE BOOKS TO BE PRESERVED THROUGH THE PROJECT INCLUDE BOOKS FROM MARK TWAIN?S PERSONAL LIBRARY, SOME OF WHICH CONTAIN HIS MARGINALIA, AS WELL AS BOOKS THAT BELONGED TO, WERE AUTHORED BY, OR INSCRIBED BY, MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE SIGNIFICANT TO HIS LIFE AND WORK. THE BOOKS ARE IRREPLACEABLE ARTIFACTS OF AMERICA?S LITERARY HISTORY AND CULTURE, WHICH PROVIDE UNIQUE AND VALUABLE INSIGHT INTO MARK TWAIN, HIS WORK, HIS ERA, AND HIS ENDURING LEGACY.]

THE MARK TWAIN HOUSE AND MUSEUM WILL CONSERVE THREE 19TH-CENTURY BOOKS IN ITS COLLECTIONS THAT BELONGED TO SAMUEL CLEMENS ("MARK TWAIN") AND THAT BEAR HIS HANDWRITTEN NOTES AND INSCRIPTIONS. THE THREE BOOKS ARE PRIORITIZED FOR CONSERVATION DUE TO THEIR FRAGILE CONDITION, AND BECAUSE OF THE INSIGHTS THEY PROVIDE INTO THE AUTHOR, HIS WORK AND ITS IMPACT ON LITERATURE, AND THE PERSONAL EXPERIENCES AND RELATIONSHIPS THAT INFLUENCED HIS VIEWS ON PIVOTAL ISSUES SUCH AS RACE AND PREJUDICE. THE MUSEUM WILL ENGAGE CONSERVATORS TO STABILIZE THE BOOKS AND ADDRESS CONDITION PROBLEMS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED IN PREVIOUS CONSERVATION ASSESSMENTS COMPLETED FOR EACH OF THE BOOKS. AFTER THE CONSERVATION IS COMPLETED, THE BOOKS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES AND FOR DISPLAY AT THE MUSEUM AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS.

THE MARK TWAIN HOUSE AND MUSEUM WILL TREAT 19TH CENTURY OBJECTS FROM ITS COLLECTION THAT BELONGED TO SAMUEL CLEMENS ("MARK TWAIN") AND HIS WIFE. THE OBJECTS INCLUDE FOUR PIECES OF FURNITURE, A PIPE CASE, A WALKING STICK, AND A TIFFANY SILVER HAIR COMB. THESE ITEMS HAVE BEEN PRIORITIZED FOR CONSERVATION DUE TO THEIR PROVENANCE, AS WELL AS THEIR IMPORTANCE TO THE INTERPRETATION OF THE MARK TWAIN HOUSE AND TO THE STUDY OF MARK TWAIN AND HIS ERA. THE OBJECTS WILL BE TREATED BY THE WILLIAMSTOWN ART CONSERVATION CENTER AND WILL BE DONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH A SPECIFIC TREATMENT PLAN. AFTER THE TREATMENTS ARE COMPLETED, THE FURNITURE WILL BE PUT ON DISPLAY IN THE MARK TWAIN HOUSE, WHILE THE OTHER OBJECTS WILL BE AVAILABLE IN EXHIBITIONS AND IN CONNECTION WITH OTHER PUBLIC PROGRAMS.

THE MARK TWAIN HOUSE & MUSEUM COLLECTION PRESERVATION PROJECT

CONSERVATION ASSESSMENT OF CERTAIN MARK TWAIN BELONGINGS FROM THE COLLECTIONS OF THE MARK TWAIN HOUSE & MUSEUM

CONSERVATION ASSESSMENT OF OBJECTS WITH TWAIN PROVENANCE FROM THE COLLECTIONS OF THE MARK TWAIN HOUSE & MUSEUM