Historic Artifacts Missing

Auditor General Jack Wagner audited the 23 locations that house Pennsylvania’s historic artifacts and found at least 1800 missing or unaccounted for. He says the audit shows lax oversight that demonstrates the need for a complete inventory and upgraded barcode system.

Now that the Ft. Pitt Museum is being managed by the Senator John Heinz History Center, Wagner says its artifacts are in good hands, but the other venues need improvement to safeguard the state’s historic treasures that are of such great national significance: the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the battle of Gettysburg, etc.

Wagner says the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission’s budget has been cut drastically over the last four years, and this audit should say to the governor and future governor and legislature that a new security system must be given priority for the state’s valuable historic resources.