Conservation

The Conservation Department oversees the preservation and treatment of museum artifact collections. Preservation issues such as temperature and humidity, amounts of light, safe supports and mounts for artifacts and damage from harmful insects, are addressed for artifacts on permanent display, traveling exhibits and objects in storage. The Conservation Department performs treatments on cultural materials when required for stable preservation or exhibit and treats all historic cultural material excavated by the Archaeology Division. The division also has the capability to analyze a wide range of objects and materials using high-powered microscopes and an x-ray facility to learn how and of what an artifact is made in preparation for active treatment, as well as to advance our understanding of material culture and its relation to cultural history.