A preservation policy is an essential component of a collections management framework, regardless of the size of the collection or organisation. This booklet provides a framework for setting out an organisation’s approach to achieving the sustainable use of its collections through a preservation policy.
This handbook provides a basic ‘starter’s guide’ to key aspects of moving image archives management, preservation and access.
This guidance sets down standards for the museum care of geological collections and provides guidance on the interpretation of these standards.
This booklet outlines information about caring for and preventing damage to furniture and wooden objects.
This resource contains information and advice on how to look after ceramics. It highlights common problems, tells you what to avoid and provides practical, step-by-step instructions on how to clean and care for ceramic objects.
The management needs of military wall art are often very specific and will be influenced by various factors, including the nature of the site and the extent and condition of the decoration. These guidelines are intended to address these issues, covering the evaluation of significance, and the determination of conservation and management needs.
This video follows Justy Alicea, a senior preparator at the American Museum of Natural History, as he works on a specimen and then gives a tour of the Museum’s fossil preparation lab.
This resource provides images of a range of plastics degrading for different reasons and in different ways.
This resource aims to help you identify and look after objects made of plastics whatever the subject of your museum.
This publication outlines a basis for custodianship and conservation of musical instruments in museum collections. It describes standards for the care of musical instruments, covering standards for procedures, collection care and maintenance, building management, access and education.
This guide is for anyone who works with costume and textile collections in museums. It will be especially useful for those who are not specialists in costume and textiles, but who find themselves responsible for, or are regularly involved with, their day-to-day care.
This resource offers guidance on caring for metals in your collections to protect them degradation and damage.
This guide produced provides guidelines and parameters for caring for film and video material.
This fact sheet offers advice on how prevent damage to your collection by preventive conservation.
In this leaflet, the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland outlines common standards for the preservation of records and discuss their preservation policy which covers the acquisition and selection of records, record storage, the public display of records in exhibitions, and conservation.
Archival records can be difficult to clean, either due to their delicate condition or the fragility of inks and pigments. This resource from the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland outlines their code of practice for the mechanical cleaning of records.
This resource examines how to look after easel paintings and identifies potential threats to paintings in museum collections.
Paper appears in museums and galleries in many ways, perhaps in the form of an ancient manuscript or a delicate watercolour painting. This resource outlines guidance on caring for paper collections in museums.
This fact sheet explains what causes damage to textiles, how to recognise where damage has taken place, and how to prevent damage occurring. This fact sheet explains how – even when all the odds seem to be against you.
This advice sheet aims to give a basic introduction to the care and preservation of photographic collections held in museums. It discusses the need to provide the correct environmental conditions and protective storage enclosures and to ensure safe handling and display.
This booklet provides guidance on simple dry cleaning methods for removing surface dirt from bound volumes and unbound papers.
This booklet describes the most common historical photographic processes, outlines the causes of deterioration and provides guidelines on good preservation practice. It is aimed at people working or volunteering in libraries, archives and museums whose responsibilities include photographic collections.
This booklet offers guidance designed to help you make the most of the opportunities available to support the preservation and conservation of library and archive collections and to develop excellent applications for great projects.
Decisions on the care and repair of bindings can be complex and involve many considerations – use, function, rarity and structural issues. This guide outlines some of these and suggests sources for further research.
This publication outlines guidance for best practice in working with independent conservators. These guidelines are designed to help museums and other organisations to appoint, brief and work with independent conservators.
Handling, packing and moving museum objects is integral to the effective management of collections, and also areas in which damage often occurs. This resource outlines conservation materials and their uses.
This advice sheet offers guidance on the ideal form of lighting for conservation and display, and advice on reducing objects’ exposure to light and radiation.
This syllabus provides a framework for designing a practical course in the care of museum collections. It describes the activities which form the basis of curatorial knowledge and expertise in collections care and encourages a pragmatic approach. It can be used by anyone designing collections care courses for entry level learners.
This publication provides a comprehensive overview and recommended standards for the care, conservation, interpretation and use of photographic collections in museums. It gives advice on physical security and protection of the collection and includes guidance on recommended conditions for storage and preservation.
This publication provides a comprehensive overview and recommended standards for the care, conservation, interpretation and use of costume and textile collections in museums.
This publication provides a comprehensive overview and recommended standards for the care, conservation, interpretation and use of biological collections in museums.
This publication provides a comprehensive overview and recommended standards for the care, conservation, interpretation and use of archaeological collections in museums.
ICON, the Institute of Conservation, is the lead voice for the conservation of cultural heritage in the UK. It provides the recognised source for finding professionally qualified conservator-restorers in the UK and Ireland: Conservation Register at ICON.