Houston Museum of Decorative Arts is a recipient of a $50,000 grant for Capital Maintenance and Improvements from the State of Tennessee as administered through the Tennessee State Museum. The grant award will be used for the addition of an elevator on the back side of the building to allow the museum to be fully ADA-compliant so all visitors can enjoy the decorative arts collection of Anna Safley Houston.
The Tennessee General Assembly made available $5 million in funding from the 2024-2025 Appropriations Act, “for the sole purpose of providing grants to museums with a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization or affiliated with a governmental entity for capital maintenance and improvements.”
It was a highly competitive process. In total, the Tennessee State Museum received 157 applications, totaling $10.5M in funding requests for the $5M appropriation. As of this release, the Museum has made full or partial awards to 83 museums across the state, representing 46 counties.
“In our second year facilitating this funding, we continue to be inspired by the incredible work being done throughout the state by our strong network of Tennessee museums and historic sites,” said Ashley Howell, Tennessee State Museum executive director. “This grant is an extension of our mission to preserve of the history, art, and culture of Tennessee by supporting the efforts of local, regional, and state institutions. We again thank the Tennessee General Assembly for their support for Tennessee museums.”
“Last year, we were awarded the Tennessee State Museum Capital Maintenance Grant which ultimately kickstarted the restoration project of our beloved 1890s house museum, the oldest house in the Bluff,” said Pam Reed, Houston Museum of Decorative Arts executive director. “Now that our house is structurally secure thanks in part to the first grant, we are thrilled to receive the grant again this year so that we can add a much-needed elevator to our building. We will soon be able to welcome visitors of all backgrounds to experience the incredible story of Anna Safley Houston and learn from her very special collection of decorative arts.”
The Capital Maintenance and Improvements grant had a minimum request amount of $5,000 and a maximum request amount of $100,000. All projects must be completed by June 30, 2025.