History Associates to Inventory and Catalog Heritage Assets for The U.S. Maritime Administration

ROCKVILLE, MD, April 24, 2012 (Press-News.org) History Associates Incorporated has been contracted by The U.S. Maritime Administration to inventory and catalog all if its heritage assets at the campus of the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) in Kings Point, NY.

"The merchant marine is an important part of our country's heritage," noted History Associates president Brian Martin. "We are honored to be selected to help capture and preserve this important legacy for the benefit of the public, the academy, and generations to come."

Professional collections managers from History Associates will inventory an estimated 5,000 artifacts located at the USMMA, including items within the American Merchant Marine Museum. Aside from the museum's collection, assets include paintings and ship models that are on display in administrative offices and buildings throughout the campus. Each heritage asset will be photographed, cataloged and barcoded for inventory control, and assessed on its condition.

The American Merchant Museum serves as a repository for the USMMA's extensive and valuable collection of marine art, ship models and nautical artifacts. In addition to these artifacts, History Associates will assess the museum's collection of archival material, comprised of ship plans, maps, personal letters, posters, yearbooks, photographs, postcards, and other maritime-related documents and ephemera.

The first phase of the project is already underway. Collections managers from History Associates have begun work identifying and cataloging heritage assets in the museum. The entire project is slated for completion this summer.

About the American Merchant Marine Museum
Founded in 1979, the American Merchant Marine Museum is dedicated to promoting public interest and education in our nation's Merchant Marine, and to preserving historic items that represent America's rich seafaring heritage. On display in the Museum's 14 galleries is an extensive and valuable collection of ship models, paintings, nautical instruments, and artifacts. The Museum is the home of the National Maritime Hall of Fame which remembers and honors great ships and people from our nation's maritime past. It is located on the McNulty Campus at the U.S Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York. For more information, visit http://www.usmma.edu/about/museum.

About History Associates
For thirty years the historians and archivists at History Associates have demonstrated that history is valuable in the market as well as the marketplace of ideas. They provide professional collections management, historical research, corporate histories, exhibit content, interpretive planning, archival services and records management to clients throughout the United States and around the world. History Associates strives to be The Best Company in History, serving corporate, government, legal, and nonprofit clients from its headquarters in Rockville, Maryland, with an office in Brea, California. For more information, call (301) 279-9697 or visit www.historyassociates.com.