ARCH54930: Care of Collections (Conservation)

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• ARCH42630 - Care of Collections (Museum Studies).

• To enable students to gain a working knowledge of key issues in collections care relevant to the effective curation of collections;
• To acquire a detailed understanding of decay factors in the museum environment that affect the storage and display of museum artefacts;
• To acquire an understanding of the theory and practice of preventive conservation techniques, including environmental monitoring and control, and collection condition survey.

• This module introduces the concept of preventative conservation and the issues involved with caring for collections materials. It provides students with a detailed understanding of the environmental factors that cause deterioration and presents ways they can be monitored and mitigated. Students will acquire and understanding of the theoretical and practical aspects of preventive conservation, including environmental monitoring and control, integrated pest management and condition surveys

Subject-specific Knowledge:

• An understanding of the range of preservation and decay factors in the museum environment affecting the storage and display of museum artefacts.
• Understand the key issues in collections care relevant to the effective curation of collections, including the theory and practice of preventive conservation.

Subject-specific Skills:

• Observe, identify, monitor, record, evaluate critically and report (in written and graphic form) the nature, environmental protection and condition of, and possible risks to, stored collections of artefacts, using appropriate methods carefully, safely and accurately, and consider a range of potential conservation options for them.

Key Skills:

• Use computer and information technology (e.g. word processing, databases, graphing and image processing).
• Access library, museum, archive and World Wide Web resources.
• Undertake advanced independent study, research and problem solving.
• Communicate information and arguments effectively, in written, visual and computerised form, to specialist audiences.
• Take responsibility for personal, professional and ethical development within the museum and cultural heritage sector or within academia, responding actively to critical feedback.
• Manage time effectively, working to time-tables and meeting deadlines.

• Knowledge and understanding of the subject is gained through attending lectures and seminars, reading the books on the reading lists, writing essays, discussions with staff and external speakers.

Two sets of homework problems designed to improve understanding of relationship between Temperature and Relative Humidity. Short answer quiz to test technical understanding and prepare for examination.

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