JAIC 1977, Volume 16, Number 2, Article 2 (pp. 12 to 20)

CONSERVATION POLICY AND THE EXHIBITION OF MUSEUM COLLECTIONS

NATHAN STOLOW

ABSTRACT—The author notes the increasing tendency for museums to place their collections on exhibition and travel, as part of an overall drive to decentralize and democratize collections. The conservation profession should recognize the shift of musuem priorities and devote more time to defining and researching problems associated with exhibitions and travel. A new category of Exhibition Conservator is proposed for dealing with the wide variety of conservation problems associated with buildings, their environment, exhibitions, and movement of works of art. The relationship between such a person and other specialists in the exhibition program is described.Among the problem areas cited are condition report standards, building surveys, and relative humidity levels for collections. Emphasis is placed on the need to maintain a suitable environment for objects at all times.

Article Sections:

1. INTRODUCTION
2. EXHIBITION PLANNING AND CONSERVATION
3. ENVIRONMENT PLANNING AND CONSERVATION
4. THE EXHIBITION CONSERVATOR
5. RECOMMENDATIONS
6. CONCLUSIONS
a: References

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