Townsend, TN

Preserving the History of Five National Parks

Made possible through a public/private partnership between the NPS, the GRSM Heritage Center and the Friends of the Smokies, this new Collections Preservation Center has satisfied the curatorial storage requirements of five National Park Service units in the Southeast Region. The archaeological and museum collections of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, together with the Andrew Johnson Historic Site, Big South Fork Nat’l River & Rec. Area, Cumberland Gap Nat’l Historic Park and Obed Nat’l Scenic River are now stored at the CPC.

Featuring state-of-the-art storage for these cultural resources, the 14,000 s.f. multi-function facility also includes archival and curatorial functions, loading docks, professional research, and is open to the public by appointment. The CPC houses archives such as genealogy, historic photographs, maps and information about the area’s indigenous peoples, along with archaeological artifacts, textiles and historic furnishings.

Smith Dalia performed contextual studies and facilitated sustainability charrettes for siting, materials, program and sustainability goals, responding to the vision of the NPS for an architectural vocabulary based on the area vernacular. Due to the sensitive nature of the archaeological collections, a museum consultant was retained for climate control and other curatorial design requirements. This thoughtful design, while contextually sensitive and utilizing local materials, focuses on efficiency and practicality.

Photo Credits: John Clemmer