Conservation
The Varnum Armory Museum operates a professional textile and document conservation lab. With a master’s degree in textile conservation from the University of Rhode Island, Armory Vice President Maria Vazquez is experienced in conserving and constructing archival displays for historic flags, uniforms, headgear, and other period textiles. We also have a professional document conservator who volunteers with us as well.
Some of the more notable projects we have completed include:
- The oldest flag in America, known as the “Byfield flag”
- A 1781 letter authored by a formerly enslaved man who served in the 1st RI “Black Regiment”
- Numerous Civil War officer and enlisted men uniforms
- An 1842 hand-painted, silk suffrage rights banner
To see our conservation work in action, watch Rhode Island PBS’s broadcast, A Stitch in Time, about our discovery and conservation of the oldest flag in America.
New State Law Allows Varnums to Conserve and Display Rhode Island Revolutionary War Battle Flags
The Varnum Continentals has been on a mission for the last few years to conserve and safely display Rhode Island’s two Revolutionary War battle flags ...
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Varnums to Host “Gettysburg Gun” and the “Bull Run Gun” at the Armory
The Varnum Memorial Armory Museum is excited to announce that we will be temporary caretakers of two of Rhode Island’s most important military artifacts: the ...
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Garment/Uniform Preservation at the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum
Some "new" garments and uniforms have arrived at the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum for professional preservation. These include an 1863 contract New York National Guard ...
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T. Fred Brown’S Battery B 1st Rhode Island Light Artillery Cap
Wrapped in newspaper for about 140 years and kept on a dirt floor garage in Daytona, Florida, this American Civil War cap had bits of ...
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Varnum Armory Launches Exhibit Space Expansion Project
The Varnum Memorial Armory Museum's exhibit space expansion project is underway! These are demolition images of some office spaces in the Armory that we will ...
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Caring for the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum’s Treasured Artifacts: Conservator Maria Vazquez
The Varnum Continentals collect artifacts that represent our national and local military history. A key aspect of museum management is the conservation of artifacts ensuring ...
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Burnside Memorial Flags Update: Findings of National Interest
Here's the update you've been waiting for! Several weeks ago, we moved six historic, hand-painted silk flags from the Burnside Building (Bristol, RI), to the ...
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American Civil War Flag Restoration Project
We now have six historic, hand-painted silk flags from the Burnside Memorial Building in Bristol, RI, that have been transferred to the Varnum Memorial Armory ...
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Before and After: U.S. Civil War Forage Cap
There’s no such thing as a lost cause … Most would consider this U.S. Civil War 10th Rhode Island forage cap at the Varnum Memorial ...
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Varnum volunteers contribute to restoration of RI Civil War treasure
A key aspect of the Varnum Continental’s mission is to preserve Rhode Island military history. To that end we are working with the Benefit Street ...
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Varnum Memorial Armory Museum Awarded $43,000 RI State Preservation Grant
Historic Linden Place in Bristol, RI, hosted the the Rhode Island State Government’s announcement of the latest State Cultural Facilities Grant and State Preservation Grant ...
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[NOV. 14 DINNER MEETING] The journey to publication of the diary and story of Elisha Hunt Rhodes, 2nd RI Volunteers
One of the finest Civil War soldier’s diaries ever written was compiled by Elisha Hunt Rhodes of Cranston, RI. First published in 1985 by Andrew ...
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A Conversation with Armory Curator Patrick Donovan
Departing from our usual article of historic interest, this month we spoke with Armory Vice President & Museum Curator Patrick Donovan about some of the ...
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Jamestown’s Conanicut Battery: A Revolution Restoration
This month, we mark the 240th anniversary of the infamous Burning of Jamestown by British and Hessian troops, a story we’ll share on these pages ...
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