Kelvin james <[log in to unmask]> asked: " I have a question about object Conservation and Treatment. Can I know what's the different with Conservation and Treatment? Conservation = Treatment? or Treatment comes after Conservation?" Treatment is an element of Conservation, where a conservator will physically change an object in some way, in order to remove or reverse damage and/or deterioration to maximise the longevity of the object. Ideally, a treatment will not change or remove original material of an object, and processes of the treatment will be reversible. In practice, this is last point is very difficult to achieve, and most conservators these days will aim for a "retreatable" treatment, rather than a "reversible" treatment. Conservation usually covers more than just Treatment. A good Conservator or Conservation team in a museum will also concern themselves with ensuring the longevity of objects by indirect means. This is known as "preventive conservation", and involves controlling the environment in which objects are stored or displayed. A preventive conservation programme will address issues such as temperature, relative humidity, dust levels, light levels, pest management, objects supports, and chemical and mechanical stability of storage materials. I hope this answers your query. George Bailey Objects Conservator Australian War Memorial ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).