Firm Profile

Paragon Research Associates (PRA) is a museum consultant and cultural resources management consultant that serves both public sector and private sector clients. Paragon Research Associates focuses on three primary disciplines.

Museum Consulting and Curatorial Services

Paragon Research Associates aids museums, repositories, and historical societies by providing extra professional assistance to help you manage your collections more effectively. PRA is an experienced museum consultant who has experience with diverse collections: ethnographic, archaeological, photographic, archival, and historical. PRA staff can provide quick and responsive assistance with your museum curation needs and can help inventory and catalog your collection. We have experience with commercial catalog software or we can help you develop your own collections catalog using standard data base software. PRA has worked with both state historical societies and county historical societies and federal and tribal repositories by conducting inventories and recommending police to document compliance with federal curation standards, including 36 CFR Part 79. PRA works with you, your architect and exhibit consultants, and other stakeholders during your master planning or facility planning process to insure that your storage facilities, work areas, and exhibit enclosures meet federal, state, local, and institutional curation standards.

Archaeology Consultant and CRM Consulting

Paragon Research Associates provides CRM consulting services in support of transportation, water, wastewater, telecommunications, and construction projects in Washington State and throughout the Pacific Northwest. Paula Johnson, PRA’s Principal, is a Registered Professional Archeologist and meets qualification standards for cultural resource management professionals promulgated by the National Park Service (36 CFR Part 61). PRA has conducted archeological field surveys and managed the archeological field labs during excavations for many types of projects. PRA works with engineering consultants, environmental consultants, and their agency clients to negotiate the requirements of federal, state, and local historical and cultural preservation regulations. PRA is experienced preparing NEPA / SEPA documentation, including Department of Transportation Act 4(f) reports and National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 reports. PRA has conducted studies that are compliant with FTA, FHWA, and WSDOT environmental procedures. Following project permitting and design, PRA conducts environmental monitoring for cultural materials during construction to as required for compliance with environmental and cultural resource management regulations.

Historical Research / Archival Research

Paragon Research Associates works with you to assist you and your organization on specific research projects within local museums, repositories, and archives. For CRM consultants we can assist you during site testing and artifact analysis by facilitating sample selections and research requests. We have helped state historical societies and county historical societies identify unique or unusual artifacts during inventories and we can provide research and recommendations to support your accessioning / deaccessioning processes. PRA conducts research on historic structures to determine if they are listed on the National Register of Historic Places or may be eligible for listing.