MS213: Museum Artifacts: How they were made and how they deteriorate
Instructor: Helen Alten
Dates: February 4 through March 14, 2008
Price: $425
Location: www.museumclasses.org
Description:
Every museum object is unique, but items made of similar materials
share characteristics. Museum Artifacts gives participants an
understanding of the materials and processes used to make
objects knowledge that better prepares them to decide how to care
for their collections. Participants study two objects that represent
all materials found in our museums. Through an in-depth analysis of
their components, participants explore all possible objects found in
any museum.
Course Outline
1. Introduction
2. Organic Object: Aleut Hunting Regalia
3. Plant Materials
4. Animal Materials
5. Modified Organics
6. Inorganic Object: Art Deco Fireplace
7. Stone
8. Ceramic
9. Glass
10. Metal
11. Mixed Media
12. Conclusion
Logistics
Participants in Museum Artifacts work through 12 sections on their
own. Instructor Helen Alten is available for scheduled email support.
Materials and resources include online literature, slide lectures and
dialog between students and online chats led by the instructor. The
course is limited to 20 participants.
Museum Artifacts runs six weeks. Please enroll at
www.museumclasses.org and pay for the course at
http://www.collectioncare.org/tas/tas.html. If you have trouble
completing an on-line order, please contact Helen Alten at
[log in to unmask]
Text Books
Gilroy, David and Godfrey, Ian, eds. A Practical Guide to the
Conservation and Care of Collections. Western Australia
Museum. 1998 (out of print)
Demeroukas, Marie, ed. Basic Condition Reporting: A
Handbook. Southeastern Registrars Association, 1998.
Available for purchase from Northern States Conservation Center at
http://www.collectioncare.org/tas/tas.html.
Student Comments
All created and selected materials were very informative and flowed
together. I like the power point slides. It's like note taking for
me, summarizing the lecture. After the course I always go back and
read various sections again. They are excellent reference materials.
Classmates from all over the world made it interesting for our assignments.
Always enjoy instructor involvement for the professional input and advice.
The downloadable manual and materials were excellent. The course
content was very thorough. The syllabus set up access online was
very good, listed clearly. The chats were great, and the
calls/prompts to participate were very much appreciated.
I liked the readings a lot because I knew they were hand selected by
the instructor and therefore were the most accurate and relevant
materials for the course.
The interaction with other participants, sharing their experiences
and their knowledge was eye opening. As we have different
collections, different problems we might come across and different
areas of experience, we can definitely learn from each other.
The Instructor
Helen Alten is an objects conservator and owner of Northern States
Conservation Center, St. Paul, Minnesota. She has been an educator,
conservator and trainer since 1986. Ms. Alten received her master's
degree in archaeological conservation and materials science at the
Institute of Archaeology, University of London in 1986. She began
working with small, rural, and tribal museums as conservator for
Montana and Alaska.
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