Conservation treatment of a museum object is the careful alteration of its chemical and/or physical characteristics in order to prolong its lifespan. The following resources were compiled from organizations throughout the nonprofit and museum sector. AAM reviewed and approved each one based on the organization’s authority and expertise and the resource’s usefulness related to the topic. Clicking the links below will take you off the AAM website.
Conservation and Art Material Encyclopedia Online
The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston maintains Conservation and Art Material Encyclopedia Online (CAMEO), a searchable encyclopedia with chemical, physical, visual, and analytical information on more than 10,000 historic and contemporary materials used in the conservation, preservation, and production of artistic, architectural, and archaeological materials.
The National Park Service’s (NPS) Museum Handbook (PDF) has a chapter on conservation treatment. The 24-page document discusses types of treatment, factors to consider when choosing treatment, and documentation. It includes a sample examination report, treatment proposal, and treatment report.
Conservation Treatment for Works of Art and Unbound Artifacts on Paper
The Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) offers a leaflet explaining conservation treatment options for works of art and unbound paper.
Conservation Treatment for Bound Materials of Value
The Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) offers a leaflet explaining conservation treatment options for bound materials of value.
The Aukland Museum’s Megan Harvey, Cerys Davidson, And Coralie O’hara wrote this insightful blog post about one of the more challenging types of objects to deal with, food.
Painting Conservation Glossary of Terms
The Smithsonian Center for Materials Research and Education has a glossary of terms used in painting conservation.
Preventive Conservation Guidelines for Collections
These guidelines come from the Canadian Conservation Institute and cover a broad range of topics including caring for archaeological collections, ceramic and glass objects, vehicles and beyond.