Online course on museum artifacts

MS213: Museum Artifacts: How they were made and how they deteriorate
Online course
Instructor: Helen Alten
October 16 through November 24, 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:

    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
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 six 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 at
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 20:18
                  Distributed: Friday, October 6, 2006
                       Message Id: cdl-20-18-005
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