On Oct. 25, the plaster ceiling of the front parlor at the Emily Dickinson Homestead collapsed into the room, damaging several of the artifacts. Fortunately, no one was in the room at the time, and thus no one was injured. To assess the damage and complete a safety review, the Museum, which consists of Dickinson’s house, the Homestead, and her brother’s house next door, the Evergreens, was closed from Oct. 26 to 30 except for a handful of tours limited to the Evergreens.

The ceiling was not part of the original home. According to Isabel Duarte-Gray ’09, museum assistant and tour guide, “The building itself was built in 1813, but this ceiling was installed at some point between 1916 and 1940, after the Reverend Park bought the house from Martha Dickinson — Dickinson’s niece — and probably around the time electricity was installed in the house.”

The cause of the collapse is still uncertain, though a structural engineer and a preservation architect have evaluated the damage and have concluded that there do not seem to be any major structural problems with the building, according to a statement released by the Museum to its employees. According to Duarte-Gray, the ceiling collapsed in one single piece because a wire mesh had held it together. It is clear, however, that the ceiling in other parts of the house will also need to be reinforced before the Homestead can be reopened to visitors. The museum has already put up support for other ceilings, including those of the front hallway and the library.

Museum employees are still unsure how the collapse will affect future tours and presentation of the house. “It is a little too early to tell if it will be possible to present the room in exactly the same way after repairs to the building and artifacts are completed,” remarked Jane Wald, Executive Director of the Museum, in a statement regarding the incident.

One piece of furniture and one plate from the wedding band china were severely damaged. “The other original items in the room,” said Duarte-Gray, “including an original portrait of Emily’s maternal grandfather, a teapot and a very antique mirror, remain intact.” The damaged items will be handed over to conservators to be assessed and protected next week.

The Museum has now re-opened and is holding tours of the Evergreens and the grounds of the Museum that focus on Dickinson’s legacy. The Museum has combined the tour of the Evergreens with the original tour of Dickinson’s home, having moved some of Dickinson’s possessions, such as family portraits, to the Evergreens to compensate, according to Duarte-Gray.

The latest information on the Museum’s tours and restoration process will be posted on emilydickinsonmuseum.org as it becomes available.