There are many objects which had more than one use... and as a result were modified for their later uses... particularly architectural or technological artifacts. One common modification was paint, either over an earlier finish, or over other paint. As a result you may need to remove paint to uncover a previous finish, or alternately remove paint due to failure of the existing paint system prior to repainting. Paint removal may be appropriate after research and documentation of all the existing finishes. Choosing to never remove paint, means that evolved artifacts can only represent their most recent incarnation, whether that is the most significant or appropriate incarnation, or not. We seem to have developed a schism in the museum community concerning restoration which I don't understand. We apply standards appropriate to art objects, to technological objects, but not to architectural ones. It seems to be acceptable to remove paint from a historic building prior to restoration, but not from a piece of furniture or an automobile. Randy Hees, President Society for the Preservation of Carter Railroad Resources (SPCRR) PO Box 783, Newark CA 94560 A not-for-profit museum specializing in preserving and interpreting the heritage of narrow gauge railroading of the Pacific Coast & equipment built by the Carter Brothers of Newark California. Operating the last regularly scheduled horse-drawn railroad at Ardenwood Historic Farm in Fremont, CA. To: Museum discussion list <[log in to unmask]> There are many objects which had more than one use... and as a result were modified for their later uses... particularly architectural or technological artifacts. One common modification was paint, either over an earlier finish, or over other paint. As a result you may need to remove paint to uncover a previous finish, or alternately remove paint due to failure of the existing paint system prior to repainting. Paint removal may be appropriate after research and documentation of all the existing finishes. Choosing to never remove paint, means that evolved artifacts can only represent their most recent incarnation, whether that is the most significant or appropriate incarnation, or not. We seem to have developed a schism in the museum community concerning restoration which I don't understand. We apply standards appropriate to art objects, to technological objects, but not to architectural ones. It seems to be acceptable to remove paint from a historic building prior to restoration, but not from a piece of furniture or an automobile. Randy Hees, President Society for the Preservation of Carter Railroad Resources (SPCRR) PO Box 783, Newark CA 94560 A not-for-profit museum specializing in preserving and interpreting the heritage of narrow gauge railroading of the Pacific Coast & equipment built by the Carter Brothers of Newark California. Operating the last regularly scheduled horse-drawn railroad at Ardenwood Historic Farm in Fremont, CA. John Scafidi wrote... Is there warrant - other than a desire to DO something - for separating the history of this object from the object itself by removing the prior coatings?