On August 25, CCAHA’s staff gathered in our front office area. It was a small, intimate party commemorating the same date 40 years ago, when the Articles of Incorporation for CCAHA were signed, establishing one of the first paper conservation nonprofits in the country.

Much has happened since CCAHA was founded to provide paper conservation services to nonprofit member institutions. Now, we treat books and photographs. We help individuals protect their family treasures. We run national education programming. We coordinate statewide preservation services initiatives. We manage large-scale projects for museums. We make national news by uncovering previously-unknown works of art. We write disaster plans for volunteer-run historical societies. We teach salvage techniques.

While our services have expanded, CCAHA remains a group of deeply committed conservators and preservation professionals. We train postgraduate conservation fellows. We turn our interests into National Endowment for the Humanities-funded research projects. We do crossword puzzles on breaks. Sometimes, we match!

Our party in August was simple, without pretension. We ate ice cream cake, told stories, and posed for a photo. Then we got back to work.

FOCUS from 2006-Today

In 2006, the first issue of our one-page newsletter, FOCUS, was written with the intent of keeping CCAHA Board members abreast of interesting treatment projects coming through the lab. Over the past decade, FOCUS has grown in reac h—it's now shared through our enewsletter, website, and social media. Click here to read through 11 years of FOCUS.

The Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts (CCAHA) is a nonprofit conservation facility specializing in the treatment of works on paper, photographs, and books through conservation and state-of-the-art digital imaging services. Founded in 1977, CCAHA serves both nonprofit cultural institutions and private individuals and organizations. CCAHA’s preservation services staff present educational programs, conduct preservation assessments, and develop emergency preparedness plans. CCAHA also offers fellowships, fundraising support, and disaster assistance.