The Care of Antiques and Historical Collections is a wonderful handbook that gives you and your staff the crucial knowledge you need to start and maintain sound programs of storage, display and environmental control for your historical artifacts. Providing instruction for both the expert and novice conservationist, MacLeish offers sound advice on how you can take a few active measures to protect, clean, repair, and care for objects most commonly found in museums or private collections. This is MacLeish's fully revised and greatly expanded edition of Per E. Gudbeck's classic The Care of Historical Collections.

This book covers the physical care of botanical and zoological collections for scientific teaching and display purposes with emphasis on preservation for scientific value. A manual for curators and collections managers containing practical guidance, recommendations and advice across the whole field of natural history curation (excluding palaeontology). A wide range of international experts with hands-on experience of collections have been chosen to contribute chapters on the care and conservation of both dried and fluid-preserved collections of plant material, vertebrates and invertebrates. The emphasis is on remedial conservation, ie the employment of best practice to prevent or arrest the long-term deterioration of specimens to preserve their scientific and cultural worth. Special chapters will cover the fields of genetic material, pest control, the museum environment - policies and procedures, with appendices on such topics as documentation and disaster planning. *Practical manual containing guidance, recommendations and advice for natural history curation and conservation *Clearly presented, well illustrated, including colour photographs and extensive references *Multi-contributor work by the best in their respective fields

Explaining and critically reviewing management procedures such as performance indicators and strategic planning, this book shows how techniques from mainstream management can be used to facilitate a holistic and professional approach to the business of conservation and collection preservation. It offers practical guidance on strategy, quantitative planning and condition surveying, and presents many solutions to the challenges faced by museum staff and conservation specialists. This new edition takes into account changes such as the arrival of the Heritage Lottery Fund, policies for access and the growing convergence of museums, libraries and archives. It also highlights the advent of digital collections and the use of information and communications technology.

Introduction to curation and preservation of archaeological materials. Visit our website for sample chapters!

Wondering what a museum director actually does? About to start your first director's job? Looking for guidance in starting up a museum or working with a museum director? Hugh Genoways, Lynne Ireland, and Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko have taken the mystery out and put common sense and good guidance in. Learn about everything from budgets and strategic planning to human resources and facilities management to collections and programming. They also help you tackle legal documents, legal and ethical issues, and challenges for today's 2.0 world. Case studies and exercises throughout help you review and practice what you are learning, and their extensive references will be a welcome resource.

This is the first volume ever to explore old-time barbershop items: poles, chairs, mugs, bottles, razors, signs, and much more. It documents the occupational history of traditional barbershops, which are fading today. More than 900 items appear in over 650 color photographs with current market prices.

Historic house museums can be found in nearly every city in the United States and Canada. These are the homes of the earliest settlers, statesmen, frontiersmen, great writers, artists, architects, and industrial magnates. These are the places, carefully saved and preserved, that represent a cultural heritage. Despite their popularity, it is not uncommon to find museums that are in poor repair, their collections neglected and their staffs grossly overworked. Many are run by well-meaning and hard-working volunteers who have little or no professional training. Often they survive on shoestring budgets and are able to present only limited programs. Serving both as a hands-on guide and reference, this book examines these problems, offering practical advice and solutions which can be easily implemented. Its useful "lessons" include governance, where to find help, care of collections, conservation, security, and interpretation--all designed to increase the professionalism of the historic house museum.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art houses one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive collections of works of art from antiquities to modern and contemporary material. Their preservation is a responsibility shared by the many individuals employed at the Museum who oversee and have direct contact with the collection on a daily basis. The Care and Handing of Art Objects—first published in the 1940s and continually updated—offers a guide to the best practices in handling and preserving works of art while on display, in storage and in transit. It explains many of the fundamental principles of conservation that underlie these methods. One of its goals is to make the complexities of caring for a collection readily accessible. The first part offers basic guidelines for the preservation of the diverse types of materials and art objects found in the Met. Each chapter addresses the physical characteristics specific to the particular category, and the environmental, handling and housing factors to which one should be alert to prevent damage and ensure their preservation. Written by experts in the respective specialty, it addresses the Museum’s vast holdings summarizing the most critical preservation issues, many of which are amplified by photographs. As the table of contents makes evident these range from paintings on canvas and works on paper and photographs to furniture and objects made of stone, wood and metals to arms and armor, upholstery, ethnographic materials and many others. Part II succinctly describes factors that affect the collection as a whole: among them, current environmental standards for temperature, relative humidity, light exposure, storage and art in transit. Based on Museum protocols it addresses emergency preparedness and response, and integrated pest management. For easy reference, it includes charts on storage and display conditions, on factors contributing to deterioration, and a glossary of conservation terms, principles, and housing materials referenced in the individual chapters. Drawing upon the knowledge of conservators, scientists, and curators from many different departments, as well as technicians and engineers whose expertise crosses boundaries of culture, chronology, medium and condition, The Care and Handing of Art Objects is primarily directed to staff at the Met. It is, no less, an invaluable resource for students, collectors, small museums, museum study programs, art dealers, and members of the public who want to enhance their understanding of how works of art are safeguarded and the role environment, handling and materials play in making this possible.

Cherished objects and family heirlooms hold a special place in our lives. Whether they are personal letters, grandmother’s silverware, or the favorite stuffed animal from your childhood, these items all have significance and are part of your cultural heritage. Caring for Your Cherished Objects: The Winterthur Guide provides practical information about what you should and shouldn’t do to prolong the life of your objects, including advice about proper storage and display. The book will help you to assess your possessions, understand which objects are most vulnerable, and avoid the situations that will put them at more risk. Illustrations demonstrate the kinds of problems you may see on your own items or warning signs that indicate that some sort of action—whether preventive, conservative, or restorative—is warranted. Learn the difference between those terms. Sidebars in each chapter address the science behind the whys and hows to caring for the wide range of specific kinds of objects covered—from ephemera, documents, books, works of art on paper, photographs, and organic objects to textiles, ceramics, glass, metal objects, furniture, and frames. Included are the procedures that can be safely done by an owner as well as those that require the services of conservation professionals. So that you aren’t left to wander the Internet, a Resources section provides a list of reliable professional organizations as well as suggested readings, websites, and lists of suppliers to aid you in caring for your cherished objects. The authors of Caring for Your Cherished Objects are highly trained, experienced experts who have cared for thousands of precious objects and have a passion for the topic. In addition to caring for the collection at Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library, they teach, consult, and lecture on the care of cultural heritage to students, professionals, and the public.