Conservation Procedure

Conservation Procedure

Various kinds of procedures are undertaken by conservators to care for the items in the museum collection. Some examples of conservation procedures are as follows.

Examination: to determine the materials and method of manufacture, and the causes and extent of alteration or deterioration.

Documentation (written and photographic): to record the state of condition, detail the materials and methods used in treatment, and report observations and conclusions made during the conservation of art and artifacts.

Restoration Treatment: to restore good physical condition and appearance, and retard deterioration. Restoration treatment can include repair of structural damage, cleaning to remove foreign matter (dirt, etc.) and discolored coatings, and inpainting to restore the appearance at damaged areas.

Preventive Treatment: to minimize future deterioration by maintaining appropriate environmental conditions (temperature, relative humidity, light levels, etc.) within the museum, and establishing policies that promote collection preservation.

Scientific analysis and research: to identify and characterize how art and artifacts have been made throughout history, and evaluate the effectiveness of conservation procedures and treatments.