Arms Museum 'Heavily Damaged' by Broken Pipe
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- A broken pipe in a wall on the second floor of the Arms Family Museum has caused extensive damage in the first floor dining room and the basement boiler room, and the museum, closed through the end of January for an exhibit changeover, will remain closed until repair work is complete.
n a news release distributed today, the historical society reported undamaged collections have been moved out of harm’s way, the broken pipe has been cut off from service, all damaged or destroyed materials removed, and the floors, ceilings and walls that were affected by the water were dried out.
The broken pipe was discovered Jan. 8 by the staff of the Mahoning Valley Historical Society. It also caused minor damage on the second floor and in the first floor sitting room, according to the announcement.
The historical society did not estimate the total cost of the damages.
The dining room and its furnishings were "heavily damaged and will require research, conservation and repair work to restore the room to its original appearance," the announcement stated. The water also entered and severely damaged the control panels for the boilers and heating, ventilation and air conditioning system in the basement.
“Fortunately the boilers and air handling units in the boiler room were not damaged and are running on manual controls,” said its executive director, Bill Lawson. “It was also fortunate that most of the borrowed decorations for this year’s Memories of Christmas Past exhibit already had been taken down and removed, resulting in a minimal amount of damage to loaned items.”
The society has ongoing relationships with professional museum conservators and will use its resources to repair the damage and restore the historic fabric of the dining room and its furnishings, Lawson noted. The staff also will explore ways to use the project as an educational opportunity in historic preservation, he added.
SOURCE: Mahoning Valley Historical Society.
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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