Course on museum artifacts

Northern States Conservation Center announces a new on-line class:

    MS213: Museum Artifacts: How they were made and
        how they deteriorate
    Instructor: Helen Alten
    Dates: April 17 through May 19, 2006
    Price: $395
    Location:  <URL:http://www.museumclasses.org>

Description: By learning to understand the materials and processes
used to make objects, participants in MS213 are better prepared to
decide how to care for their collections. Though every object is
unique, items made of the same material share similar
characteristics.  Participants will examine two objects that
represent all materials found in our museums. Through an in-depth
analysis of these two objects and their components, they will
explore all possible objects found in any museum. The two objects an
Aleut Hunting Hat and an Art Deco Fireplace  use every organic and
inorganic material used to create every object a museum might
collect.

Course Outline

    Introduction

    The Aleut Hunter: Organic Materials

        Wood
        Skin Materials
        Hair, Feathers
        Ivory, Bone, Teeth
        Textiles
        Painted surfaces
        Polymers  adhesives and plastics

    Fireplace: Inorganic Materials

        Ceramic
        Glass
        Stone
        Metal
        Mortars

    Mixed Media: How things interact

    The Bigger Picture: Mixed Collections, Outdoor Display, etc.

    Conclusion

Logistics: Participants in Museum Artifacts work through sections at
their own pace. 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 four weeks. Please enroll at
<URL:http://www.museumclasses.org> and pay for the course at
<URL:http://www.collectioncare.org/tas/tas.html>. If you have
trouble completing an on-line order, please contact

    Helen Alten
    651-659-9420
    helen [at] collectioncare__org

Text Books

    Gilroy, David and Godfrey, Ian, eds.
    A Practical Guide to the Conservation and Care of Collections.
    Western Australia Museum. 1998

    Demeroukas, Marie, ed.
    Basic Condition Reporting:  A Handbook. Southeastern Registrars
    Association, 1998.

Available for purchase from Northern States Conservation Center at
<URL:http://www.collectioncare.org/tas/tas.html>.

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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                  Conservation DistList Instance 19:45
                 Distributed: Saturday, March 18, 2006
                       Message Id: cdl-19-45-011
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