Arkansas State Museums

We were tasked by the Arkansas Department of Parks to conduct a conditions assessment of historic and heritage sites throughout the state. These included Oilfield Park located at the Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources in Smackover, the Carnes Playhouse at the Arkansas Post Museum in Gillett, and the Rust Brothers Cotton Picker and Seed Processing Equipment located at the Plantation Agriculture Museum in Scott. Artifacts ranged from oil derricks to a fully furnished scaled playhouse build in the 1930’s. Each location represents a unique piece of Arkansas history and provided a glimpse into the evolution of the state’s energy, textile and manufacturing industries.

The objects at each site were examined to identify materials, current conditions and the sources for all observed deterioration. Existing documentation was examined in order to more completely understand the specifics of each artifact and structure’s manufacture and history. The results of the study were incorporated into four separate assessment reports. All findings were presented in written and photographic form.

We made recommendations for treatments based on the observed conditions of each artifact and provided budgetary cost proposals for each of the treatments.