DOCSLIB.ORG

Preservation of Museum Collections

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Preservation of Museum Collections Conserve O Gram July 1993 Number 1/1 Preservation Of Museum Collections The preservation and continued use of a museum Preventive conservation is best implemented by collection and its associated data depend on a the development of a park-specific plan that park's long-term commitment to an ongoing identifies tasks, establishes schedules and costs, conservation program. The primary goal of and coordinates staff responsibilities in carrying museum object conservation is to preserve out an ongoing program for the care and whatever still exists of the object as nearly as maintenance of the museum collection. An possible in an unchanging state. In the National effective preventive conservation program will Park Service, this goal is achieved by the minimize the need for costly conservation ongoing activity of preventive conservation treatment. Refer to the NPS Museum supplemented, when necessary, by conservation Handbook, Part I (Rev 9/90), Chapter 3, for a treatment. detailed discussion of preventive conservation. Preventive Conservation Conservation Treatment Preventive conservation emphasizes non­ Conservation treatment is the interventive, interventive actions to prevent damage to and hands-on work of preserving the physical minimize deterioration of a museum object. and/or the aesthetic condition of a museum Such actions include: object. The two broad categories of interventive treatments are as follows: • Monitoring and recording levels of environmental agents (e.g., light, relative • Stabilization is a treatment action that is taken humidity, temperature, and air pollution) to increase the stability or durability of an object when preventive conservation measures • Inspecting and recording the condition of fail to decrease the rate of deterioration to an objects acceptable level, or when an object has deteriorated to the point where it is in danger • Controlling environmental agents of being completely lost. • Establishing an Integrated Pest Management • Restoration is a treatment action that is taken (IPM) program in all spaces housing museum in an attempt to bring an object as close as collections possible to its original appearance, or to its appearance at a particular time period, by • Practicing proper handling, storage, exhibit, removing accretions and subsequent additions, housekeeping, and packing and shipping and/or by replacing missing elements. techniques Interventive treatments must be fully documented • Incorporating needed information and and performed according to the Code of Ethics procedures regarding the museum collection and the Standards of Practice of the American in emergency management plans Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works. According to professional ethics and National Park Service Conserve O Gram 1/1 NPS Management Policies (Dec 88), any Most conservators specialize in specific classes restoration treatment must be the minimum of materials (e.g., paintings, furniture, paper, necessary, be fully documented, and be textiles, metals, ceramics and glass, conducted without fraudulent intent. Refer to photographs, archeological or ethnographic the NPS Museum Handbook, Part I (Rev 9/90), objects, or natural history specimens). The roles Chapter 8, for detailed guidance on conservation of the curator and the conservator in preserving treatment. museum collections are illustrated in the chart on page 3 of this Conserve O Gram. Responsibility Conservation of museum objects is a shared role Reference between the curator and the conservator. Mutual understanding and respect for each other's role Ward, Phillip R. The Nature of Conservation, A and responsibilities to the collection are Race AgainstTime. Santa Monica, CA: The important. The curator is skilled in the J. Paul Getty Institute, 1986. management, preservation, and use of the museum collection. Often, the curator is a discipline or material culture specialist (e.g., archeology, history, biology, fine arts, Civil Anthony M. Knapp War weapons, 19th-century furniture). The Staff Curator conservator is skilled in the theoretical and Curatorial Services Division practical aspects of preventive conservation and National Park Service of performing examination and conservation Washington, D.C. 20013-7127 treatments of museum objects. Revised 1993. The Conserve O Gram series is published as a reference on The series is distributed to all NPS units and is available to non-NPS collections management and curatorial issues. Mention of a product, institutions and interested individuals by subscription through the a manufacturer, or a supplier by name in this publication does not Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, constitute an endorsement of that product or supplier by the National Washington, D.C. 20402, FAX (202) 512-2233. For further Park Service. Sources named are not all inclusive. It is suggested information and guidance concerning any of the topics or procedures that readers also seek alternative product and vendor information in addressed in the series, contact the National Park Service, Curatorial order to assess the full range of available supplies and equipment. Services Division, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425, (304) 535-6410. 2 Preservation of Museum Collections Conserve O Gram 1/1 National, Park Service Curator and Conservator Roles in Preserving Museum Collections1 Preventive Conservation Curator Conservator • Monitors and assesses the condition of • Assesses the condition of objects; objects conducts Collection Condition Surveys2 • Monitors and evaluates the museum • Alerts staff to signs and causes environment of deterioration • Practices proper methods and techniques • Provides technical guidance on museum for storing, exhibiting, handling, environment, storage, exhibits, packing, and shipping of objects handling, packing, and shipping • Develops and carries out an ongoing • Assists in development of housekeeping/ housekeeping/maintenance program for maintenance programs and in collection spaces preparation of emergency management plans • Prepares an emergency management plan for the museum collection Conservation Treatment Curator Conservator • Documents history, significance, value, • Examines and documents conditions and and proposed use of each object problems of objects to be treated • Prepares treatment proposals for • Develops and monitors contracts for curatorial review and approval conservation services • Performs suitable treatments • Assesses, in consultation with • Documents treatments performed conservator, the suitability of written • Recommends methods for the future treatment proposals and authorizes maintenance and care of treated objects treatments • Monitors the progress of treatment for each object • Ensures continuing care for treated objects Notes: 1. The chart is based on Figure 3.1 in Chapter 3 of the NPS Museum Handbook, Part I (Rev 9/90). 2. Refer to the NPS Museum Handbook, Part I, Chapter 3, for guidance on Collection Condition Surveys. Preservation of Museum Collections 3 .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Assistant Curator Job Description ……
    Assistant Curator Job description ……. Background For over a century, the Whitechapel Gallery has premiered world-class artists from modern masters such as Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko and Frida Kahlo to contemporaries such as Sophie Calle, Lucien Freud, Sarah Lucas and Walid Raad. With beautiful galleries, exhibitions, artist commissions, collection displays, historic archives, education resources, inspiring art courses, dining room and bookshop, the newly expanded Gallery is open all year round, so there is always something free to see. The Gallery is a touchstone for contemporary art internationally, plays a central role in London’s cultural landscape and is pivotal to the continued growth of the world’s most vibrant contemporary art quarter. Exhibitions Department The Exhibitions Department realises the ambitious programme of temporary exhibitions and commissions, including the production of catalogues to accompany these events. In addition, the Department is closely involved with an MA in Curating Contemporary Art, taught jointly with London Metropolitan University. The Department consists of the Chief Curator, Curator and Head of MA Curatorial Studies, Curator, 3 x Assistant Curators, Assistant Curator – Special Projects, Archivist and Archive Curator, Head of Exhibition Design and Production, Gallery Manager and Installation Manager. Role The Assistant Curator works with a small and busy team on the realisation of projects with artists, lenders and arts institutions; delivering modern and contemporary exhibitions and commissions, including the organisation of transport and insurance; registrarial duties; and the production of catalogues. As a member of the exhibitions team, the Assistant Curator contributes ideas to the Gallery’s programme, is essential to the department's collegiate work environment and liaises with other internal departments and with the professional art world, in one of the most dynamic art environments in Europe.
    [Show full text]
  • Federal Laws and Regulations Requiring Curation of Digital Archaeological Documents and Data
    Federal Laws and Regulations Requiring Curation of Digital Archaeological Documents and Data Cultural Heritage Partners, PLLC Prepared for: Arizona State University October 25th, 2012 © 2012 Arizona State University. All rights reserved. This report by Cultural Heritage Partners, PLLC describes and analyzes federal requirements for the access to and long-term preservation of digital archaeological data. We conclude that the relevant federal laws, regulations, and policies mandate that digital archaeological data generated by federal agencies must be deposited in an appropriate repository with the capability of providing appropriate long-term digital curation and accessibility to qualified users. Federal Agency Responsibilities for Preservation and Access to Archaeological Records in Digital Form Federal requirements for appropriate management of archaeological data are set forth in the National Historic Preservation Act (“NHPA”), the Archaeological Resources Protection Act (“ARPA”), the regulations regarding curation of data promulgated pursuant to those statutes (36 C.F.R. 79), and the regulations promulgated by the National Archives and Records Administration (36 C.F.R. 1220.1-1220.20) that apply to all federal agencies. We discuss each of these authorities in turn. Statutory Authority: Maintenance of Archaeological Data Archaeological data can be generated from many sources, including investigations or studies undertaken for compliance with the NHPA, ARPA, and other environmental protection laws. The NHPA was adopted in 1966, and strongly
    [Show full text]
  • Deaccessioning Done Right by Jennifer Holt, Curator, Will Rogers Memorial Museums, Claremore
    technical bulletin Deaccessioning done right by Jennifer Holt, Curator, Will Rogers Memorial Museums, Claremore Oklahoma Museums eaccessioning is the process used to ered; private sales can be problematic due to Association Dremove permanently an object from a transparency and accountability issues. The Technical Bulletin #47 museum’s collection or to document the rea- use of all proceeds should comply with the Published January sons for an involuntary removal of an object professional ethics and the law. from such a collection. The deaccession- 2009 ing process is used only when accessioned Procedures should be developed along with objects are at issue. Deaccessioning should policies. Deaccession check lists should not be viewed as a routine way to manage follow policy parameters. The registrar/col- indiscriminate collecting. The first rule is lection manager/curator should oversee the Back issues of techni- careful, focused collecting. process and maintain permanent records of cal bulletins published all deaccessions. by the Oklahoma There are a number of reasons why a mu- seum may be prompted to consider deacces- Problems may arise with the deaccession of Museums Associa- sioning. The condition of the object may be an object. The title to the object may be in- tion are available free so bad that it threatens other objects in the complete. Restrictions may have been placed to members. For a collection. A collection may contain unneces- on deaccessioning the object when donated. complete list of tech- sary duplicates. These dupes take resources Other issues that may appear include pri- nical bulletin topics, that could be used for new objects.
    [Show full text]
  • CURATOR CORE COMPETENCIES American Alliance of Museums Curators Committee
    CURATOR CORE COMPETENCIES American Alliance of Museums Curators Committee Standing Committee on Ethics ABSTRACT Curator Core Competencies is a comprehensive statement of the domains in which curators work, the duties they perform, and the applied skills that they must all possess to be successful in today’s profession. It defines who we are, what we do, and why curators are important. 1 A Curator’s Core Competencies Introduction The role of the museum curator is rewarding, broad and challenging. This compilation of curatorial core competencies created by CurCom’s Standing Committee on Ethics addresses the skills required of curators to be successful in their profession. During the creation of this document, several sources provided valuable information regarding the skills identified by respective institutions as integral to the role of curators. The AAM, CurCom’s Code of Ethics, US Federal Government’s position classifications, US National Park Service classifications, College Art Association’s standards and guidelines, International Committee for the Training of Personnel and International Council of Museums served as references, helping to create the foundation for this document. Most important were the informal conversations with curatorial colleagues and conference sessions since the 2012 AAM annual meeting, which provided valuable insights into the demands on museum curators today, and revealed the growing need to formally study curatorial education, experience, and training, as well as to express the competencies required to practice the craft. The 2014 survey conducted by CurCom validated much of the input taken from these discussions and revealed other interesting considerations. For all the things this document is, there are several things that it is not.
    [Show full text]
  • Curator of Archaeology and Assistant Professor in Anthropology
    Curator of Archaeology and Assistant Professor in Anthropology The University of Colorado Museum of Natural History and the Department of Anthropology invite applications for a tenure-track, joint position as Curator of Archaeology and Assistant Professor. Applicants should have PhD with specialization in Archaeology, and museum experience. Strong preference for candidates with experience in Southwestern material culture research and publication, NAGPRA, collaborative research, and teaching, with strengths in contemporary archaeological and museological theory. The successful candidate will teach no more than one course per semester and be a part of the museum’s Anthropology Section, working closely with the Collections Manager and the Curator of Cultural Anthropology. Duties include establishing and executing a vital research program with extramural funding; curating archaeology collections (including a large collection of Southwest pottery); implementing NAGPRA; teaching in both units including graduate and undergraduate courses; and, advising MA and PhD students in Anthropology (http://www.colorado.edu/Anthropology) and Museum & Field Studies (http://cumuseum.colorado.edu). We offer a collaborative, intellectually stimulating, and supportive environment in which a new professor can thrive. Contact: [email protected]. The anthropology collections at the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History include more than 1.5 million archaeological and ethnographic objects, and nearly 50,000 photographic images relevant to these collections. The geographic foci of the collections are the North American Southwest and Rocky Mountain-Plains. The anthropology collections are primarily archaeological materials resulting from the systematic work of Earl H. Morris and Joe Ben Wheat. Morris built the museum's anthropological collections from 1913–1956. Wheat served as Curator of Anthropology and Curator Emeritus from 1952–1997, and directed the Yellow Jacket field school from 1954–1991.
    [Show full text]
  • Collect Like a Curator with Liberty Hall Museum
    Collect like a Curator with Liberty Hall Museum What is a collection? A collection is group of objects usually brought together for their similar subject matter or purpose. That’s a fancy definition—but what does that mean? Let’s explore collections together! Where do collections come from? o Collections come from individuals who have a passion for certain objects, such as art, historic items, a sport’s team, etc. These individuals then go out and find examples of these objects and decide to group and store them together, making a collection. Many times these collections end up in a museum like Liberty Hall! What do museums do with collections? o Museums take on the responsibility for caring and preserving their collections, so visitors like you can enjoy them. The person primarily responsible for caring for a museum collection is a curator. What is a curator? o Museum curators are in charge of a collection of exhibits in a museum. Their job is to build up collections and develop ways in which objects, archives and artworks can be interpreted, through exhibitions, publications, events and audio-visual presentations. How do curators keep track of all the objects in a museum collection? o Curators keep track of a collection by making sure every object has a written record of information about that object. All of that information is then stored in a catalog or a database. o Curators will also assign each object a different number to help organize the objects. This number is called an accession number. Does Liberty Hall have any collections? o Yes indeed! In fact, Liberty Hall is a museum that is made up of collections.
    [Show full text]
  • SAA Guidelines for Preparing Legacy Archaeology Collections
    GUIDELINES FOR PREPARING LEGACY ARCHAEOLOGICAL COLLECTIONS FOR CURATION Michelle K. Knoll and Bruce B. Huckell ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We are grateful to a number of colleagues for their advice and assistance in compiling and reviewing previous drafts of this document. Our first thanks go to volunteers nearing retirement who completed a preliminary survey about what kinds of collections, samples, and materials they had in their possession that needed to be curated. They helped us assess what topics might best be covered in this guide. Once we started the process of compiling sections and full drafts, we had the good fortune to receive editorial comments, suggestions, and thoughtful reactions from our colleagues on the SAA Committee on Museums, Collections, and Curation. In particular, we are most grateful to committee chair Danielle Benden, Terry Childs, Jenna Domeischel, Susan Gilliland, and Marybeth Tomka. Bill Lipe, Professor Emeritus, Washington State University, long concerned with the proper curation of legacy collections, provided us with much food for thought on both an initial and a revised draft of this guide. We thank Richard Talbot, Brigham Young University, and Janaki Krishna, Natural History Museum of Utah, who also reviewed drafts, and Andrea Knoll for assistance with designing the cover. Our thanks as well to our colleagues at the University of Utah and the University of New Mexico for important conversations about aspects of curation that came up as we worked on the guide. Finally, we are grateful to the SAA Board of Directors for their invitation to prepare the guide and for their review and final approval of it.
    [Show full text]
  • Digital Archaeological Data Collection 1
    Running Head: DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL DATA COLLECTION 1 Digital Archaeological Data Collection and Archaeological Data Repositories: How Digital Environments are leading to a Convergence of Data Collection Standards Julia Silver [email protected] (410) 660-5009 Johns Hopkins University Museum Studies Digital Curation Certificate Program December 5, 2015 DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL DATA COLLECTION 2 Abstract This paper discusses how the lack of standardized methods for on-site data collection has impacted the ability of archaeologists to preserve archaeological data and make it accessible for reuse. Repositories and databases, like the Alexandria Archive Institute’s (AAI) Open Context and Digital Antiquity’s tDAR (the Digital Archaeological Record), have gained traction as prominent platforms to both publish archaeological data and to store and make accessible raw data. However, gaps remain between data collection and data accessibility, which seem unlikely to be closed by the adoption of standards for the documentation and description of field data. The following questions are considered: What are the challenges to standardization in the collection and documentation of field data? In the absence of agreed-upon standards, what alternative methods can aid in the preservation and accessibility goals of archaeologists? One promising development, a mobile platform created by the Federated Archaeological Information Management Systems (FAIMS) Project, is considered as an alternative path that may lead to a convergence of data collection standards in the future. DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL DATA COLLECTION 3 Table of Contents I. Introduction II. Research Methodologies III. Historical Background a. Defining Digital Archaeology b. DigMaster c. The Beginning of Online Data Publication d. The Archaeological Information Ecosystem IV.
    [Show full text]
  • Job Description | Curator
    Job Description | Curator The Curator is a full-time, exempt member of the senior staff and, with the Director and curatorial team, provides artistic direction and coordination to the Museum’s artistic program. CAMH Curators are responsible for the oversight of designated traveling exhibitions that tour to the Museum and for the conception, execution, quality, and scholarship of a number of internally generated exhibitions and their accompanying publications. CAMH Curators are expected to be an active and visible member of the national, international, and regional art community, and to participate in the overall institutional advancement of the Museum and its programs. The incumbent is responsible for general scholarship and research in contemporary art, and works closely with the Director, and other members of the senior staff to advance the institution’s mission, to execute and develop support for its programs, and to meet the goals of its strategic plan. Principle Duties and Responsibilities Exhibitions • Plays a significant role in the formulation of the overall direction of the Museum's artistic efforts and long-range exhibition schedule • Prepares exhibition proposals 3-4 years in advance of exhibition dates for review and approval by the Director • Originates one to two exhibitions of varying scales each year with an accompanying publication • Works to secure touring venues for exhibitions • Coordinates and installs assigned exhibitions traveling to the Museum from other institutions • Works with the Director of Education and Public
    [Show full text]
  • The Conservator-Restorer: a Definition of the Profession ’
    231 Tbe corzservator-restorer: This document is basedon a textpreparedin German by Agnes Ballestrem which was submittedby her as a workingpaper to the ICCROM Standards and Traininp Committee at its November 1978-meeting (ST 1/3). The Wirking Group for Training in 0f the professìof2 ConservationandRestoration of the ICOM Committeefor Con- servation discussed the document for the first time at its .& meeting in Zagreb in 1978. A revisedvenion waspublishedin thepreprints of the ICOM Committee for Conservation’strien- nialmeeting in Ottawa, Canada, in 1981, paper 81 /22/0 with an introduction by H. C. von Imhofi It was rewritten by Eleanor McMillan and Paul N, Perrot. The new version was presented and, with minor amendments, was unanimously adopted dur- ing the interim meeting of the Working Groupfor Training in Conservationand Restoration heldin Dresden on 5 September 1983 andwas submitted to the Committee’s Directory Boardat its meeting in Barcelona on 26 November 1983, The Directory Board requested further work on the wording of the Definition before the Working Group was topresent it to thefull Commit- tee at its triennial meeting in Copenhagen in September 1984, This latest version is the result of revisions done by RajIsar, Janet Bridgland and Chrihoph von Imhof between November 1983 and August 1984. At its59th Session, which tookplace on 3 and4July 198s in Paris, the Executive Board of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) took cognizance of the text ’The Conservator-Restorer: a De$nition of the Profession’ on which the General Assembly of ICOM’s International Conservation Committee had voted in September 1984 at its meeting in Copenhagen, accepting it almost unanimously .
    [Show full text]
  • Saa-Bulletin-11(5).Pdf
    S O C I E T Y F O R A M E R I C A N A R C H A E O L O G Y V O L U M E 1 1 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1 9 9 3 N O . 5 ...just because a person happens to “ live adjacent to a world-class site does not automatically insure that he/she will appreciate the importance of the site. See Page 7 ” 2 Society for American Archaeology November/December In This Issue Editor's Corner Letters to the Editor As many of you who attended the Annual Meeting in St. Louis may recall, one of my goals as editor of the Bulletin is to Government Relations - More than explore various electronic means of disseminating information Congress and data to the members of the Society. The recent announce- ment in the Bulletin [11(4):8] of the suspension of publication of Current Research in American Antiquity for two years provides Working Together - Cooperation in a useful place to begin explore these electronic avenues of information technology. Just after the publication of the an- Montana nouncement, there were a number of postings to ARCH-L, an archaeology listserver run out of Texas A&M University, in general support of the change with specific interest in the use of Software Review - HRAF on CD- the National Archaeological Data Base (NADB) organized by ROM the Park Service and run out of the University of Arkansas. This may well be a useful solution to the problem, as are others that have been discussed.
    [Show full text]
  • Curator: Provenance Management for Modern Distributed Systems
    Curator: Provenance Management for Modern Distributed Systems∗† Warren Smith Thomas Moyer Charles Munson The Weather Company, an IBM MIT Lincoln Laboratory Business UNC Charlotte Secure Resilient Systems and Andover, MA, USA Software and Information Systems Technology Charlotte, NC, USA Lexington, MA, USA Abstract systems have focused on the collection and usage of prove- Data provenance is a valuable tool for protecting and trou- nance data, often with the analysis occurring on the same bleshooting distributed systems. Careful design of the prove- system that collected the provenance. While this works well nance components reduces the impact on the design, im- for applications running on a single host, it quickly breaks plementation, and operation of the distributed system. In down on distributed systems. this paper, we present Curator, a provenance management In systems that have considered provenance for distributed toolkit that can be easily integrated with microservice-based systems, the proposed architectures treat provenance as systems and other modern distributed systems. This paper unique from other sources of metadata, such as log and au- describes the design of Curator and discusses how we have dit data. This requires users of provenance to build entire used Curator to add provenance to distributed systems. We infrastructures to manage the provenance data, increasing find that our approach results in no changes to the design the complexity of the application and system. This increased of these distributed systems and minimal additional code complexity can also increase the attack surface of the appli- and dependencies to manage. In addition, Curator uses the cation, negating the security benefits of adding provenance same scalable infrastructure as the distributed system and to a system.
    [Show full text]