GRoW @ Annenberg has awarded Brown University’s Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology a grant to conserve fragile and at-risk objects in preparation for the museum’s anticipated move from Bristol, RI to Providence, RI. 

The museum’s relocation was first announced last year when the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation awarded the museum a $5 million grant to fund the inventory of the collection, the move to Providence, and community outreach opportunities. Though the relocation will likely be delayed due to the ongoing pandemic, Brown University remains committed to making the Haffenreffer Museum collections accessible to a broad range of audiences, as well as contributing to the cultural revitalization of the City of Providence. 

The GRoW @ Annenberg-funded conservation project coordinates with the Mellon-funded inventory project's goal of identifying objects that require conservation in advance of the move. Due to their age, fragility, specific materials, or past use, some of the objects in the collection need conservation care before they can be moved to a new facility. Others need special mounts to protect them or need specialized analyses to identify invisible toxins from their use, preparation, or even past conservation efforts. Funds from GRoW@Annenberg will help the Museum staff care for these objects before they are moved to a new facility. The GRoW @ Annenberg grant will cover the cost of acquiring important conservation equipment, tools, and resources to help outfit a state-of-the-art conservation lab in a new museum in Providence, RI. 

GRoW @ Annenberg is a philanthropic initiative of the Annenberg Foundation, founded and led by Gregory Annenberg Weingarten, Vice President and Director of the Annenberg Foundation. The initiative supports a broad range of innovative projects and organizations that address social and cultural issues, meet urgent community needs, and offer inspiration and collaboration—all with the goal of improving the quality of life in communities around the world.

The Haffenreffer Museum serves as Brown University’s teaching museum by sponsoring original research, innovative teaching, and public education while stewarding a collection of over one million archaeological and ethnographic objects. Its mission is to inspire creative and critical thinking about the global cultures of the past and present by fostering an interdisciplinary appreciation for the material world.