Great thread everyone!

Heidi, the larger museums either have guards in every exhibition room or they have proximity alarms that out out a high pitch when someone gets too close to an object or work of art.

When I was a museum conservator I had public lab tours once a week for years, and many VIP lab tours. I had a polished brass sheet metal plate that I passed around each time - and after just couple of months the fingerprints had all etched out on the surface. I loved to point this out to folks to show them the effects of "touching" objects and explain the science behind it.  I would end by joking that one day I was going to the FBI to find out who had touched our stuff. People loved this and I had people who came back every year on their visit just to see the plate again!

By the way, it is not the "oils" that cause problems - it is the fatty acids in perspiration that will etch into and saturate surfaces - this is why the CSI folks can open a container of superglue next to a metal object's surface to bring out the latent prints - the cyanoacrylate in the glue emits acidic vapours and accelerates the tarnishing and etching of the surface by the print. Interestingly this will not work with children's fingerprints because the chemistry of their perspiration is different from adults.

Cheers!
Dave

David Harvey
Conservator
Los Angeles, CA

On Wed, Jun 18, 2008 at 7:17 AM, Heidi Campbell-Shoaf <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

I just opened a new exhibit in which there are several pieces of furniture on display as well as glass, ceramics, artwork, etc. All of the small, fragile items are under vitrines but the furniture pieces are simply on risers. When reviewing the exhibit with our docents, they expressed concern that I did not have "do not touch" signs on the furniture.  I've used these signs in the past but I am wondering about their effectiveness. I've observed both at my museum and at others, that some people will touch regardless of signage.  I've also noticed that most larger museums I've visited do not have these signs at all.  Our museum experience is guided tour only and the docents are trained to remind visitors not to touch items on exhibit. The new exhibition can be self-guided but the vast majority of the time there will be a docent in the room with the visitor.

 

I'd like to hear about other's experience with "do not touch" signs and whether they work or just clutter up an exhibit and have little effectiveness.

 

Heidi Campbell-Shoaf, Curator

Museum of Frederick County History

Historical Society of Frederick County

24 East Church Street

Frederick, Md. 21701

www.hsfcinfo.org

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