Protecting the Building that Protects the Collection

Museum buildings provide physical security and environmental controls for the storage and display of irreplaceable documents, works of art, and other artifacts. In the case of historic house museums and other historic sites, the buildings themselves can be the largest artifacts in the collection—but even modern, purpose-built museum buildings require constant care. This presentation will examine the critical role of repair and maintenance in defending museum buildings and the collections they contain against threats from without (wind damage and water infiltration), threats from within (overloading floor structure or uncoordinated alterations), and threats from below (excavation for building additions or construction on adjacent properties). Strategies for prioritizing repair and maintenance needs will be discussed, along with opportunities for collaboration between museum staff, design professionals, and contractors.

Presenter: Justin M. Spivey, PE, FAPT, APT RP (Associate Principal, Klein & Hoffman, Philadelphia)

With nearly three decades of experience in structural engineering and historic preservation, Justin specializes in the condition assessment, renovation, repair, and adaptive reuse of existing structures. He has worked with many National Register and National Historic Landmark properties as well as buildings damaged by natural and man-made disasters. Justin is familiar with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties and a wide range of materials and systems, from nineteenth-century cast and wrought iron, wood, and masonry, to the challenging forms of large-scale public sculpture. His project experience covers every phase from conceptual design to contract documents to commissioning, as well as litigation consulting and alternative dispute resolution.

Justin’s historic preservation expertise has been acknowledged with Fellow and Recognized Professional status from the Association for Preservation Technology International and with invitations to teach courses in preservation engineering at Johns Hopkins University and in historic building technology at the University of Pennsylvania. His commitment to knowledge sharing is evident in numerous presentations and publications, including guest editing special issues of APT Bulletin on wrought iron and steel structures and on preservation engineering.

This program will be held via Zoom. Registrants will receive a Zoom link sent to the email address associated with their registration the morning of July 9.