Art or other culturally significant collections or objects may be damaged or destroyed when museums or other eligible facilities, either publicly owned or owned by a Private Nonprofit organization, are involved in disasters. These collections and objects, by their very nature, generally are one-of-a-kind and thus cannot be replaced. Therefore, replacement of destroyed collections or objects is not an eligible cost.

FEMA may, however, fund  stabilization measures. Stabilization involves taking  the  minimum steps necessary to return a collection or object  to a condition in which it can function in the same capacity as it did prior  to the disaster. FEMA’s Preservation Officer, in consultation with the applicant and the State, will use professional judgment to determine if additional treatment beyond  stabilization  is necessary to maintain the integrity  of the collection or object and return it to its pre-disaster function.

For example, if a sculpture in a public museum falls from a shelf during an earthquake, breaking into many pieces, FEMA will not replace the sculpture but will pay to stabilize the sculpture for display purposes.

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