The General Lew Wallace Study & Museum announced the completion of a project to improve care of historic artifacts at the museum.
Awarded in 2021 to the Lew Wallace Study Preservation Society for the General Lew Wallace Study & Museum, this Heritage Support Grant was provided by the Indiana Historical Society and made possible by the Lilly Endowment Inc.
This grant for collections storage enhancement allowed Associate Director Amanda McGuire to rehouse items in the storage vault that were not properly or safely stored.
Late 19th century music discs, Ben-Hur china and many other items are now securely placed in individualized storage compartments that protect them from damage. These items have been photographed with photos placed on the outside of the boxes to facilitate location of items and minimize the need to open boxes.
The museum also received Heritage Support Grants in 2017 and 2019 provided by the Indiana Historical Society and made possible by the Lilly Endowment Inc. that allowed for the restoration of several paintings in the collection.
For each of these grant projects, the artifacts selected were of critical concern because of structural issues and to provide long-term and safe care. These items were extraordinarily significant to Lew Wallace and to the story of Ben-Hur and it is important for the mission of the museum to protect and preserve these parts of the Wallace collection.
