As they worked on the project, John G. Waite Associates, Architects, and Liberty Street Restoration Company established these Preservation Goals:
- Preserve the historic building, but also meet contemporary building codes.
- Provide accessibility for the handicapped.
- Provide sufficient lighting for displays.
- Create the realistic effect of a house that stood outside, yet also protect the building from the harsh New England climate.
- Install new weather-resistant tiles underneath the original Chinese roof tiles.
