Maryland Archaeological Conservation Facility and Museum Services Center
Calvert County, MD

The 512-acre Jefferson Patterson Park runs for 2.5 miles along the Patuxent River in Southern Maryland. Archaeological surveys of the 560 acres have revealed more than 70 sites spanning 9,000 years of the changing environment and cultures of the Chesapeake Bay region. Among the artifacts are remnants of early Indian settlements, a 17th century compound, the War of 1812, and ancient hardwood forests. Farm life in the 19th and 20th centuries also is represented in the exhibit buildings.

During a two-phase assignment, ASG planned the renovation of eight of the 26 farm buildings to create a State Museum Services Center. The firm also designed the park's Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory.

The 1930's farm buildings were designed by Gertrude Sawyer, a noted regional architect who studied Southern Maryland architecture while spending summers on the site. She also was the first woman admitted to the American Institute of Architects. The buildings were renovated and restored to house carpentry, graphics, metal works, painting, silk screening, and exhibit staging for state-owned and operated museums.

The conservation laboratory has more than 4.5 million curated items available for research and education, as well as exhibits for students, scholars, museum curators, and teachers. It also serves as a collections storage facility. The research library and lab provide more than 10,000 references dealing with Native American life, historic agriculture, museum studies, the Chesapeake Bay environment, and historic architecture.

Design of the laboratory took into consideration technical issues, including radiography; solvent uses and storage; digitized recording and computers; treatment and finishing; and environmentally controlled storage.

Phase I
Completion: 1995
Size: 16,000 gsf
Cost: $3.2 million

Phase II
Completion: 1997
Size: 38.00 gsf
Cost: $7.2 million