A New Exhibition at the Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts

The “Adopt an Object” exhibition at the Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts will allow the public a chance to see items from all five of Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites collections. Objects from the collections of the Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts, Burnside Plantation, Moravian Museum of Bethlehem, Historic Bethlehem Partnership, and Historic Bethlehem Incorporated that are in need of conservation will be on display, many for the first time

Conservation is necessary to maintaining historical objects in our museum collections.  While specialized conservators perform painstakingly detailed transformations on objects that to some may seem beyond repair, there are also simple techniques and routine measures that we can do to help prolong the life of an object.  Torn textiles can be reinforced with sheer fabric, colorful watercolor paintings can be reframed in acid free matting and maps can be mended with special papers.  Measures such as these allow objects to be displayed with less risk of further damage.  View objects ranging from quilts to paintings from the HBMS collections that are in need of simple conservation measures, and help us preserve history for generations to come by “adopting an object.”

Guests will have the opportunity to sponsor their favorite item from the exhibition and contribute to overall conservation initiatives. This exhibition is included in the Pass into History admission ticket, $12 for adults and $6 for children ages 6-13. Interested in learning more about object conservation? On March 1 from 12-4 members of the Hunt for History Club will learn museum conservation techniques and paper repair. Adults and children are welcome to join! Admission is included with the Pass into History.

Historic Bethlehem is a not-for-profit institution that brings to life three centuries of American history. Historic Bethlehem tells the story of a small town of great influence, home to some of our nation’s earliest settlers, to America’s first municipal water pumping system, and to one of the world’s greatest industrial companies. Historic Bethlehem is located in Eastern Pennsylvania, only a 1.5 hour drive from Philadelphia to the North and 2 hours west of New York City. Historic Bethlehem is an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and is distinguished as a National Historic Landmark District for Historic Moravian Bethlehem. For more information please call 610-691-6055 or visit www.historicbethlehem.org.