Marc A. Williams, President
MS in Art
Conservation, Winterthur Museum Program
Former Chief
Wooden Object Conservator, Smithsonian Institution
Fellow, American Institute for Conservation (AIC)
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2009 3:31
PM
Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Restoration
Policy
In addition to the care of the objects, take care
of your volunteers feelings - unless you can afford to do without them.
We ran into the same problem here - volunteers who felt they had been
doing a good job for 20 years. The first step, professional staff
took was to stop all touching, moving, etc which led to a lot of hurt feelings
and volunteers quitting. We are now trying to explain the importance of
accuracy (historic, based on research, not what you think it oughta be), the
differences between restoration, conservation and "fixin' it". I have
found that the more you talk to them about why we do what we do and more
importantly why we don't do what we don't do, the more volunteers will
understand and work with you, not against you. We have also separated
our collection into core or original collection (meaning don't touch
at all), supplemental collection and educational collection (you can pick it
up and play with it). Our collections policy covers many of these topics
as well.
Bronwen Sanders
Mifflinburg Buggy Museum
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2009 11:28
AM
Subject: [MUSEUM-L] Restoration
Policy
My museum has a large collection
of agricultural equipment (e.g. tractors, combines, trucks, etc). I
have a group of volunteers who do all of the restoration work. Since I
am new to the museum I am hearing that the volunteers do not always
accurately restore the equipment to the way it was. I was wondering if
anybody else has run into this problem and if so how did you handle
it? I am also looking to implement a restoration policy, any help on
this would be appreciated! Have a great
day!
Thanks,
Julie
Julie
Blood
Collections and Exhibit
Manager
San
Joaquin County Historical Society &
Museum
P.O. Box
30, Lodi,
CA 95241
(209) 331-2055
(209)
953-3460
[log in to unmask]
www.sanjoaquinhistory.org
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