Protect the Collection & Archive

TUDOR PLACE | Last day open of 2024: Sunday, December 29. Click for info

TUDOR PLACE | Last day open of 2024: Sunday, December 29.

With an collection representing every period of the estate’s occupation since 1805, Tudor Place is a time capsule of culture.

The Tudor Place Collection & Archive (18,000+ object collection, 300-linear-foot archive, and 5,000+ volume book collection) is stored in over 30 locations throughout the historic house, administrative building and historic garage. Some of these locations are repurposed bathrooms, closets, hallways, case furniture, locked vaults, unfinished basements and attics. Access to the collections and the integrity of the collections themselves are compromised by the lack of space.

Most, but not all, of these spaces are heated by steam radiators and have no humidity controls. The only cooling systems available for many of these spaces are portable air conditioning units seasonally placed strategically in situ, aiming to cool critical areas without overloading aged electrical fuses.

To protect this extraordinary collection, the Master Preservation Plan seeks to:

Develop a secure, climate-controlled storage facility for objects and archival materials with improved access for staff and researchers.
Provide for a new exhibition gallery to showcase the extensive collections and archive.
Open the site’s unusual 1960s fallout shelter to the public as an interpreted exhibition space.
Create a digital archive of important objects and manuscripts, making them accessible to scholars, teachers, and students through an interactive portal.
Provide new working space, including offices, for curatorial, education, and archival staff, and research space for scholars, museum professionals, and others.

Resources

Click below for a quick look at what’s entailed to protect decorative objects and archival ephemera.

COLLECTION & ARCHIVE

A new collection and archive storage facility will be housed in the lower level of the Garage

Compact shelving will optimize the use of space in the new collection facility.

Staff and visiting researchers will be able to work in a new research room

A new gallery in the Garage will showcase the Tudor Place collection

The Pierce Arrow will have an improved gallery space

SLAVERY AT TUDOR PLACE

As an historic site that bears the scars of slavery, Tudor Place seeks to look this injustice in the eye. Click here to learn more.

Advance registration encouraged; suggested donation. Click for info.

1644 31st Street, NW | Washington, DC 20007
202-965-0400 | info@tudorplace.org

Advance registration encouraged; suggested donation. Click for info.

1644 31st Street, NW | Washington, DC 20007
202-965-0400 | info@tudorplace.org