Other options to consider besides actual windows into work spaces, which are not always feasible or desirable, would be webcams, restricted to certain hours, and also a video or other camera that feeds an image to a computer or viewing screen somewhere in the museum.  Again, these could be on only during certain hours or activities. When you don't have them on "live" you have the option of putting previously filmed footage (properly labeled) of the area or a particular activity up on a continuous loop.

What used to intrigue me about museums when I was a child was what went on behind the scenes.  There are all sorts of interesting and unlabeled closed and locked doors in museums and I would speculate about where they went and what went on behind them.  Some museums address this by having large photos of places like Conservation Labs, Registration offices, exhibits fabrication rooms, etc. *with objects out and visible*, and other interesting photos of "behind the scenes."  These are put up either on or near the doors leading to these areas, with wall text explaining what is going on behind that particular door or down that hallway.  (This also helps show "where the money goes" i.e. how the budget gets spent, in publically funded museums as well.)

Finally, annual or regular open houses and behind the scenes tours are usually very popular, and if you do it right you can also subtly indicate things you would like to be doing/exhibiting/conserving *when* you can get the funds. This can be very effective when you are holding or pointing to the actual artifact while discussing it (wearing your gloves, of course!).

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