About

History

The National Center for Preservation Technology and Training (NCPTT) is a research and education center that was established in 1994 on the campus of Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana. The center was founded with the goal of advancing the field of historic preservation through the use of science and technology. The idea for NCPTT was first proposed in 1986, when the US Congress' Office of Technology Assessment published a report highlighting the need for a federally funded institution to coordinate research, disseminate information, and provide training on new technologies for preserving cultural resources. This recommendation was later implemented as part of the National Historic Preservation Act Amendments of 1992, which established NCPTT as a national research and development organization focused on technical issues in preservation.

In May 2001, NCPTT moved into its new headquarters in the renovated Women's Gymnasium on the Northwestern State University campus. The building was renamed Lee H. Nelson Hall in honor of Lee H. Nelson, a National Park Service architect and preservation pioneer. Lee H. Nelson Hall is one of the oldest surviving structures on the university campus.

NCPTT's mission is to preserve cultural resources through the use of science and technology. It conducts research, develops and disseminates technical information, and provides training and education on preservation technologies and techniques. The center works with a variety of partners, including government agencies, academic institutions, and non-profit organizations, to develop and implement preservation technologies and techniques that can be used to protect and preserve cultural resources, including historic buildings, artifacts, and landscapes. In addition to its research and educational programs, NCPTT also administers the Preservation Technology and Training Grants program, which provides funding for projects that advance the use of science and technology in the preservation of cultural resources.