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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