The Material Evidence project elevates safety within the collection and storage of precious items at The Museum of FIT (MFIT) and sets out protocols for the handling of toxic materials. Given the funding challenges of small exhibiting institutions, this project will also support a broader effort to increase access to such information for other museums that operate without an internal science/research department. The project team will apply findings from current studies on how toxic materials have infiltrated historical collections, the varying degrees of risk, and how continuing challenges threaten modern and contemporary materials.