PHILADELPHIA (AP) – An archaeology museum in Philadelphia has moved thousands of ancient treasures offsite and is using vibration sensors to monitor delicate items still on display while an earth-shaking demolition project continues next door.
The Penn Museum – which houses mummies, a Sphinx, pottery and other historical pieces excavated worldwide – has also modified exhibits to prevent damage to fragile objects and ensure they can remain on view.
“We’ve tried to minimize our impact on the visitors, so that we’re keeping things up as long as we can and as much as we can,” said head conservator Lynn Grant.
The museum is part of the University of Pennsylvania, which has been dismantling a nearby 850-car parking garage and 23-story medical office tower to make room for a new hospital pavilion.
Demolition should be finished by August, said Patrick Dorris, an associate vice president for the university’s health system. However, the museum’s seismic challenges won’t end then because the hospital construction will require digging into bedrock. No timeline has been set, Dorris said.