PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (August 25, 2016) - Palm Springs Art Museum has been awarded a $165,500 grant from The California Cultural and Historical Endowment (CCHE), a state entity tasked with preserving and protecting California's cultural resources. The grant will be used for two projects designed to ensure the safety of the museum's art collection, stabilize the atmosphere for art preservation, reduce the museum's environmental footprint, drastically reduce electrical costs, and increase exhibition opportunities.
The grant will specifically be used to update an aging 40-year old heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. New air handlers and zone controls that manage the four galleries on the main level of the museum will be replaced with new Variable Air Volume controls, cooling coils, and ducting. These improvements will increase cooling efficiency and dehumidification, while minimizing the risk of leakage into gallery space. In addition, pipes will be relocated to corridors or hallways to better protect the art.
The second phase of the project will be to install a Waterside Economizer in the Chiller Plant. The economizer will use the evaporative cooling capacity of the existing cooler towers to indirectly produce chilled water to the museum during mild outdoor weather conditions, which can significantly reduce energy costs and noticeably reduce chiller run hours and maintenance.
"We are grateful to the CCHE for providing this very generous grant," said Jeb Bonner, Deputy Director and Chief Financial Officer of the museum. "Along with matching funds provided by a museum trustee, it will allow the museum to provide the best possible environment for viewing art, while also continuing our multi-year efforts to reduce our environmental footprint."
This award is part of CCHE recently announcing $2.5 million in funding for 18 museum projects statewide with the Museum Infrastructure Capital Grant Project. In 2013, in a bill sponsored by the California Association of Museums (CAM) and authored by Assembly member Toni Atkins, the CCHE was authorized to create a competitive grant program to support small capital projects for museums. These recent awards concluded the first of two grant cycles to be funded under Proposition 40. Subsequent rounds will be funded through revenues generated by Snoopy special interest license plate sales.
For additional information about Palm Springs Art Museum visit psmuseum.org or call (760) 322-4800. The museum is located at 101 N. Museum Drive in downtown Palm Springs.
About Palm Springs Art Museum
Palm Springs Art Museum is the largest cultural institution in the Coachella Valley and includes three locations in Palm Springs and Palm Desert. The flagship building is located in downtown Palm Springs and features compelling art exhibitions, a vast permanent collection, and the 428-seat Annenberg Theater, all in a 150,000 square foot, architecturally-significant building. Palm Springs Art Museum Architecture and Design Center, Edwards Harris Pavilion, features exhibitions and programming that explore the rich topics of architecture and design. Admission to the A+D Center is free. Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Desert is an 8,400 square foot, Silver LEED-certified building named The Galen that presents rotating exhibitions and special collections. It is surrounded by the four-acre Faye Sarkowsky Sculpture Garden featuring important sculpture works. Admission to the Palm Desert location is free, generously underwritten by Helene V. Galen. For more information, call 760-322-4800, visit psmuseum.org, and follow the museum on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
