The Archives & Collections Building at Taliesin West is getting some upgrades.

The Archives & Collections Building at Taliesin West is getting some upgrades! Last year, the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation was awarded a substantial grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities for improvements to the envelope and environment of the 1980s storage facility, which houses personal belongings and art collections of the Wright family, furnishings for their homes and studios, and the creative output of Fellowship members, as well as archival material such as photographs, oral histories, and newspaper clippings.

These improvements will provide a more stable environment and will lessen airborne particulate transmission into vault storage, both of which will promote the long-term preservation of this invaluable and irreplaceable collection – with the added benefit of a reduction of energy costs in the extreme Arizona desert climate.

This summer, an insulated, low-emissive roof with lightning protection was installed, and next steps include making upgrades to HVAC systems and interior cosmetic enhancements, both of which require collections staff to move collection material from one vault to another while work is being completed.

Our registrar and grant-funded associate registrar have spent the last six weeks moving paintings, sculptures, furniture, textiles, and boxes from one vault to another which provides the perfect opportunity to conduct condition assessments and upgrade our database records. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting project!

This project has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities