The following is forwarded at the request of Chris Collins.

Sally Shelton
Director, Collections Care and Conservation
President-Elect, Society for the Preservation of Natural HIstory Collections

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|                                                                       |
|                 San Diego Natural History Museum                      |
|                          P. O. Box 1390                               |
|                San Diego, California   92112  USA                     |
|             phone (619) 232-3821; FAX (619) 232-0248                  |
|                     email [log in to unmask]                          |
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                NATURAL HISTORY COLLECTIONS COURSE

        Conservation of Natural Science Materials

        5 week  course          7th July -  8th   August

 Certificate in the Care and Conservation of Natural Science Materials

Venue: The Conservation Unit, Department of Earth Sciences, University of
Cambridge

Natural Science Collections contain a wide variety of materials of both
inorganic and organic origin which are of educational, scientific and
economic value.  The management and conservation of natural science
collections is vitally important to the safe-guarding of this important
resource.  Natural Science Materials are also found in other areas. These
include ethnography, stone, or textiles collections.  This courses will
therefore appeal to conservators working with similar materials in other
collections, such as ethnographic and archaeological conservators. to
people responsible for the care of natural science collections, as well
as existing natural science conservators.

This 5 week course  will cover natural science materials from a modern
conservation perspective.  It will discuss their treatments in light of
approaches to similar materials in other areas of conservation and
will also look at traditional methods of preparing and conserving
this material.

The course will cover the chemistry of these materials, control
of deterioration (from both a passive and an active perspective) and
collections maintenance.

People who complete the course will have a solid overview of the factors
which cause the deterioration of natural science materials and how these
collections are maintained and conservation problems can be resolved.

The course will include a large element of hands-on conservation relating
to natural science materials.

It is possible to arrange for individuals to take portions of the
course.  If you are interested in this then please contact Chris Collins
at the address below.

Course Details:

Number of places on course: 10 - 12

Costs will cover all tuition fees, the course manual, site visits, tea
and coffee.  Lunch will be provided at a small extra cost if desired.

Course Cost GBP 1100

Accommodation will be arranged separately depending on participants
requirements.  It is hoped that college accommodation will be available
at a reduced rate.

Course Structure

Week 1  Preventive Conservation for Natural History Collections

Introduction to Course
Introduction to materials
        Inorganic
        Organic
Agents of deterioration
Value and Understanding of Materials
Ethics and Documentation

Legal problems
Site Conservation and Collecting

Surveying Collections

Environmental Monitoring and Control
                Pest control and Monitoring
                Environmental Control
                        Micro-environments
        Storage Techniques
                storage materials
                practical problems and solutions
        Anoxic Storage

standards in the care of collections

Week 2 - 3  Material Science

Starting with whole object

        status and information of object

        material science of object

        preparation of material (and affects on original object)

        deterioration mechanisms

Investigative techniques

Chemistry and physics of Colour

Oxygen in the environment
Water in the environment

Identification of deterioration
                organic
                inorganic

Week 4-5 Conservation and Preparation Methodology

Conservation Methodology

Taking Practical Examples

Traditional Techniques of Preparation
                Taxidermy, preparation and display of skins
                geological preparation
                entomological preparation
                botanical preparation techniques
                casting and moulding techniques

Conservation Project

Paper chemistry
Techniques in conservation of paper

Problems. treatments and solutions
                de-acidification
                mineral oxidation and hydration
                cleaning

        Resins and Adhesives

Chris Collins
December 1997


Chris Collins
Geological Conservation Unit
Dept. of Earth Sciences
University of Cambridge
Madingley Rise, Madingley Road
Cambridge.  CB3 OEZ

tel: +44 1223 362522 fax: +44 1223 366860