About Conservation

Conservation seeks to arrest the decay of whole collections or individual artifacts by stabilizing them against further deterioration to allow their preservation for future generations.

In conserving archaeological and ethnographic artifacts, conservators deal not only with the material aspect of the object, but with the different values and meanings that are part of its cultural context.

Present and past use, whether as functional objects, historical documents, or spiritual or cultural symbols, add fascinating layers of meaning to artifacts and sites, which require conservators to understand both the tangible and intangible attributes of these things.

In the conservation philosophy that underpins this program, there will be a strong interdisciplinary component, essential to effective working practices in the future.

For further information on Conservation, please contact the home pages for the American Institute for Conservation (AIC), Conservation OnLine (CoOL), or the International Institute for Conservation (IIC).