Museums & Cultural Institutions
Restoration, Casework & Exhibit Fabrication for Museums
Olek Inc. partners with museums, galleries, historic houses and cultural institutions on furniture and object restoration, custom display cases and mounts, architectural casework and faithful reproduction — executed to conservation standards from our New Jersey workshop.
Why Olek
One Shop for Conservation, Fabrication & Installation
Museum projects cross disciplines — object conservation, cabinetmaking, metalwork, casting and mount-making — and carry documentation, handling and scheduling requirements a general contractor rarely meets. Olek brings these trades together under one roof, with the project management curators, registrars and facilities teams expect.
Built for Institutional & Public Procurement
Olek is a HUBZone Certified Small Business with museum, university, government and landmark experience. Procurement teams can review our Capabilities Statement for NAICS codes, references and core competencies; bid, payment and performance bonding may be available for qualifying projects.
Request Capabilities StatementCraftsmanship since 1950
20,000 sq. ft. New Jersey facility
25+ full-time craftsmen across disciplines
Conservation-minded treatment & documentation
- HUBZone Certified
- Conservation Standards
- Custom Casework
- Object Mounts
- Capabilities Statement
01
Furniture & Object Restoration
Stabilization, structural repair, veneer, carving and finish work for period furniture, frames and decorative objects — treatment matched to the piece and documented for the collection record.
02
Display Cases, Vitrines & Casework
Design-assist and in-house fabrication of display cases, vitrines, pedestals and gallery casework in wood, metal and glass — built for conservation-grade materials, controlled access and clean sightlines.
03
Artifact Mounts & Metalwork
Custom mounts, brackets and supports that hold objects safely for display and transport — fabricated in brass, steel and archival materials, alongside bronze and iron architectural metalwork.
04
Reproduction & Replication
Faithful replication of missing or damaged elements from the original, drawings or scans — in wood, metal, fiberglass and cast materials, matched in finish and detail.
Preserve • Document • Reproduce
A Collection-First Approach to Every Treatment
Preserve Original Material
We retain as much original fabric as the object allows, intervening only where condition or use requires.
Document Every Intervention
Condition, treatment and materials are recorded so the work is transparent for curators, registrars and the collection file.
Reproduce Only What Is Needed
Missing or unsafe elements are replicated to match — never more replacement than the project actually requires.
Materials & Methods
Conservation-Grade Materials & In-House Processes
Wood, Veneer & Finish
Cabinetmaking, veneering, carving, French polishing and reversible finishes for furniture and casework.
Bronze, Steel & Archival Metals
Machining, welding, casting and mount-making in display-safe and structural metals.
Glass, Acrylic & Case Systems
Vitrine glazing, acrylic and case hardware integrated into conservation-grade display.
75+
Years of craft
20,000
sq. ft. NJ workshop
25+
In-house craftsmen
1
Roof — all trades
Selected Institutional, Landmark & Historic-House Experience
United Nations — Conference & Lobby Furniture
Institutional furniture
New York, NY
FDR & Sara Delano Roosevelt Townhouse — Architectural Woodwork
Historic residence
New York, NY
Glenmont Mansion — Historic Wood Components
National Park Service
West Orange, NJ
Riverside Church — Historic Wood Doors & Architectural Elements
Religious landmark
New York, NY
From Assessment to Installation
How Olek Works With Museums & Institutions
01
Assessment & Scope
We review the object or space, condition, goals, documentation needs and site constraints with curators, registrars or facilities before proposing treatment.
02
Proposal, Samples & Approval
Scope, treatment options, materials, samples and schedule are agreed — with mockups or repair mapping where the collection requires it.
03
In-House Conservation & Fabrication
Conservation, cabinetmaking, metalwork, casting and mount-making are completed under one roof and direct quality control.
04
Delivery, Installation & Documentation
We coordinate handling, transport and installation, and hand off treatment documentation for the collection record.
Handled, Transported & Installed to Museum Standards
Removable objects are treated in our controlled Orange, New Jersey shop; built-in casework and gallery elements are assessed and installed on site. Specialty crating and handling can be coordinated regionally and nationally.
- Orange, NJ Workshop
- On-Site Installation
- Specialty Crating
- Nationwide Coordination
Museum & Institutional FAQs
Do you work to conservation standards?
Yes. Treatments prioritize retention of original material, reversibility where appropriate, and documentation. For landmark and preservation scopes we follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards.
Can you fabricate custom display cases and object mounts?
Yes. We provide design-assist and in-house fabrication of cases, vitrines, pedestals and object mounts in wood, metal, glass and archival materials.
Do you handle procurement, bonding and insurance requirements?
Olek is a HUBZone Certified Small Business; our Capabilities Statement lists NAICS codes and references, and bid, payment and performance bonding may be available for qualifying projects.
Where do you work, and can you install on site?
Removable objects are restored at our 20,000 sq. ft. Orange, New Jersey workshop; built-in casework and gallery elements are assessed and installed on site, with regional and national coordination.
Can you replicate missing or damaged elements?
Yes. We replicate from the original, drawings or scans in wood, metal, fiberglass and cast materials — matched in finish and detail for a seamless result.
Start a Conversation
Planning a Museum or Collection Project?
Tell us about the objects, the space and your timeline. We will review scope, conservation approach and logistics — and provide our Capabilities Statement for procurement.