Between 1995 and 1997 the primary focus of the Photographic Archives was the improvement of storage conditions for the collections. Funding for a secure and climate-controlled storage facility adjacent to the Photographic Archives workspace was provided through a conservation and preservation grant from the National Science Foundation.
Individual objects and collections were assessed and evaluated for condition status and underwent curatorial review. In addition, the Museum's recently adopted collections management software system, which incorporates digital-image capability, is being utilized for the photographic archives' applications.
As a result of this project, more than 6,500 glass-plate negatives, 2000 black and white negatives, 25,000 historic photographic boards, and 500 inventoried photographic collections numbering more than 350,000 photographs and negatives are now protected in appropriate storage conditions, ensuring the opportunity for future research of the Peabody's Photographic Archives for generations to come.