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Gaël de Guichen is a key figure in the world of conservation and collection storage. His career has taken him from the Lascaux cave in France's Vézère Valley to the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) in Rome, Italy. At the latter, he developed the concept of 'preventive conservation' and set up numerous study programmes for heritage preservation, including the RE-ORG method, which has since become an international standard in collection storage. In his words, 'a museum's storage room is the place where unexhibited collections are brought together in optimal conditions, ready to be displayed in galleries, studied by specialists, and, if possible, seen by the public.' In this interview, he tells us how he came to this definition and what it implies. His journey, however, is part of a larger story: one that also paves the way for the future of collection storage around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article offers an overview of 10 years of institutional and human efforts led by ICCROM (the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property) and other international and national organisations to address the state of paralysis of collections in storage, and restore their potential as a tool for education and social cohesion. Launched in 2011 and tested in many different contexts and across all global regions, the RE-ORG method provides a solid, feasible and adaptable solution to the many museums struggling with overcrowded collections in storage and the impossibility of using and enabling access to them. The article presents the situation of museum storage areas as unveiled by an international survey in 2011, and analyses the development of the RE-ORG Method and its application (145 museums and 34 countries), training strategies, lessons learned and future challenges. The reflections and experience of ICCROM's partners and stakeholders in this project in Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Chile, France, India, Nigeria and Portugal illustrate the unique and innovative aspect of the project and the results obtained in terms of preventive conservation, collection management, and sustainability. In conclusion, the article offers suggestions for a strategic and global application of RE-ORG commensurate with museums' needs and with the inherent potential of the billions of objects in storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The safe storage of collections for future generations is the most important statutory activity of every museum worldwide. Although this objective is a long-held one, statistics show that, regrettably, a historical and global problem still exists in this field, including for Polish museums. Fortunately, positive changes have been implemented since the end of the 20th century, resulting not only in new infrastructure projects, but also in new approaches to the longstanding problem. Contemporary museum storage facilities are perceived not only as restricted museum spaces, but also, and primarily, as a combination of places, people and processes. Storage can therefore represent an optimum tool for museum conservation, when understood as a change management process whose purpose is to exercise conscious and real influence on the durability of collections. Importantly, this process should correspond to contemporary environmental protection practices. Then, and only then, will museums be capable of protecting cultural heritage appropriately, without increasing risks to future generations. In Poland, the National Institute for Museums and Public Collections (NIMOZ) is currently implementing an infrastructure project entitled 'The Central Storage Facility for Museum Collections' (CMZM), whose concept encompasses the questions and problems referred to above. In effect, a shared storage facility will be built in the suburbs of Warsaw to provide high-quality protection for collections, while employing cost-efficient construction processes and low-energy solutions while in operation. The pilot project and case study represents a model solution: one that can be followed by museum professionals planning new collection storage facilities in other regions of Poland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 1874, the Old Acropolis Museum (OAM) in Athens has housed archaeological materials from the Acropolis Hill and its Slopes, dating from Antiquity to the modern period. This case study explores the undertaking, over the past three years, of the OAM Reopening Project by the Ephorate of Antiquities of the City of Athens (EACA), attached to the Greek Ministry of Culture. The repackaging, re-documentation, and study of stored objects, as well as the study of archives and relevant literature, unearthed both the history of OAM and the management of Acropolis antiquities. The stored archaeological material represents a unique and fascinating case study relevant to a diverse range of important topics for the cultural heritage sector, such as socio-political contexts, science, technology and available resources, as well as biographical insights into important players in the history of the museum. 'Re-excavating' stored archaeological material might represent an important strategy in the evolution of preventive conservation, and is relevant to the emerging history of archaeological storage practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heritage institutions find themselves increasingly compelled to lower costs related to energy use, without disowning their primary task of optimally preserving the collections they are entrusted with. Now, more than ever, resilience, autonomy and cost-effectiveness are key to managing heritage sustainably. With over 1,000 museums in Belgium, the energy savings that its institutions may obtain by optimising their indoor climate management represents an important opportunity to alleviate strain on institutional budgets, and to help reach the ambitious energy-saving goals Belgium and the EU have set for themselves. Heritage institutions must be proactive in implementing such strategies, choosing from among a long list of measures to optimise their climate systems and indoor environments. This can be an overwhelming task. Indeed, museums and heritage institutions often lack in-house expertise to tackle these issues, which is why clear, practical and intuitive protocols, tools and concrete examples are required. As a case study and presentation of research-in-progress, this article describes Resilient Storage, a Belgian project that aims to validate a protocol to optimise the functioning of climate systems in museum storage areas. Developed by the Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage (KIK-IRPA) and KU Leuven, Resilient Storage assembles an interdisciplinary team of public representatives, museum staff and experts in energy performance and conservation. It aims to help stakeholders optimise storage area management, simultaneously reducing its carbon footprint and optimising its preservation conditions. Resilient Storage aims to unearth synergies among these stakeholders, promote collaboration, develop a common language and transmit expertise to Belgian's small and medium-sized museums. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sustainable conservation strategy for cultural heritage protection is not feasible without a systematic documentation, registration and management of the information. The adoption of integrated inspection protocols and regular tracking processes, based on standardized procedures and uniform criteria, are the basis to successfully replace actual curative strategies with proactive conservation approaches. The opportunities brought by the digital tools can offer tremendous advantages in this regard. This paper explores the leading role that digitization is assuming in the context of heritage conservation through the experience of the HeritageCare project — Monitoring and preventive conservation of historic and cultural heritage" (SOE1/P5/P0258). The project has developed a digital-based integrated methodology aimed at providing enhanced tools and services to properly document cultural heritage buildings and engage directly owners in the conservation process of their legacy. The structured digital workflow on which the HeritageCare protocol relies is described in detail, encompassing different levels of information. Finally, the full application of the protocol is presented with reference to one of the most emblematic case studies of the project, the Ducal Palace of Guimarães, Portugal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to provide a working basis for handling cultural objects through the design and creation of a technical package. Factors acting on the safety of a cultural object in transit are analysed with a view to preventing or minimizing the risks. The package characteristics required to establish a safe, secure and isolated environment (from the deterioration agents) also are defined. Thus, application of a digital data collection methodology is proposed to accurately design a structure suited to the piece morphology. We used one software to create a 3D model and another one to decompose it in printable templates.

Glass crystal models arrived in Portugal around the late 19th century, when high schools, universities, and polytechnics were gradually provided with teaching collections to support science education. Therefore, they are an important material evidence of teaching methodologies of mineral and geology science in the 20th century. The Passos Manuel high school in Lisbon, owns a significant collection of scientific heritage, currently on a long-term loan at the National Museum of Natural History and Science and the University of Lisbon, which includes a set of 98 glass crystal models. Besides glass, these models are composed by adhesives, paper, cardboard, textile threads, paper/textile adhesive tapes, and metal nuts and screws. Also, they show several levels of intervention and different conservation states. In this paper, the first results of a multi-analytic approach to chemically characterize these objects’ material composition will be presented. Characterization was done based on portable equipment (pXRF), or by collecting small samples further analyzed using optical microscopy and FTIR-ATR techniques. This study allowed for a first distinction between original materials from the old repairs; to develop a more accurate assessment of the conservation condition; and finally, as one of the main aims of this work, to determine preventive conservation measures in order to better preserve these cultural objects.

This paper presents the analysis of the hygrothermal conditions of a museum space hosted in an 18th century building, in Coimbra (Portugal). This historical building, which houses the Science Museum of the University of Coimbra, is located in the historic centre of the University of Coimbra, officially declared a World Heritage Site in 2013 by UNESCO. The methodology proposed in EN 15757:2010 was applied to two monitoring campaigns carried out at a distance of 4 years, in two of the rooms of the permanent exhibition. The results of the monitoring periods are presented and discussed. The findings unveil the necessity for long-term monitoring of the indoor environmental conditions of museum spaces, towards the support of grounded based-evidence guidelines for the conservation of objects and quality of environment for exhibits conservation.

The main objective of this work is the characterization and observation of the performance of an IoT measurement and monitoring system in the field of cultural heritage conservation for assessing the health condition of artworks. This article also describes the application of this system to the monitoring of a canvas painting applied on a wooden support, an artwork from the 19th century by the painter Giuseppe Patricolo depicting The Deposition, placed inside a niche in the Santa Caterina Monastery in Palermo (Italy). Considering the presence of the wooden structure, it is useful to measure not only microclimatic parameters such as temperature and humidity, but also vibrations that can in fact cause degradation phenomena in these artworks. This is a first step towards the development of mimetic systems integrated in the work of art without causing physical, mechanical or chemical alterations and ensuring that the level of microclimatic parameters is below the threshold values whose exceeding could compromise the entire artefact.

A large number of historical artifacts have low resistance to pests since they are made of organic substances. Such works can be consumed by several living organ­isms and can often be an ideal environment for micro-organisms to grow, particularly when favorable conditions such as appropriate climate and absence of light are pres­ent. The way in which manuscripts are stored in archives, such as shelves, acid-free boxes and relative temperature control, means that both humidity and aerosols can play a determining role in their safety. Considering the principle of the priority of con­servation over restoration, several measures should be adopted for the safety and authenticity of the works, which will also lead to a decrease in restoration costs. The Central Tabriz Library possesses a precious collection consisting of several thousand volumes of valuable books, authentic documents and lithographic books. It is worth noting that the first hand-written work from Iran to be registered on the UNESCO Memory of the World Heritage list was, “Vaghf Nameh Rab'-e Rashidi,” the Deed of En­dowment of the Rab' i-Rashidi. The document is a historical manuscript book authored by Sheikh Rashid al-din Fazlollah and is regarded as a part of this collection.

The objective of this study is to present theoretical concepts of preventive conservation, presenting its importance in the protection of bibliographic collections, exposing the experience that I had as a document hygienist, intervening in works of the Municipal Library of Mário de Andrade (BMA) in 2014. The research methodology is composed of theoretical knowledge obtained in training courses (held in the Public Archive of the State of São Paulo). I also establish connection with contemporary authors who problematize the set of technical procedures, known as preventive conservation, using iconography that illustrates the biodeteriorative processes. By experiencing the job of sanitizing, it was perceptible how important it is to monitor and maintain the environmental conditions of the conservation areas of the collection, which can contribute to the preservation or deterioration of works and, consequently, information. It also becomes imperative to raise awareness among employees of all sectors of an institution, so that there is effective preservation of public goods, whether bibliographic or not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Conservar Património is the property of Associacao Profissional de Conservadores-Restauradores de Portugal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Conservar Património is the property of Associacao Profissional de Conservadores-Restauradores de Portugal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Colour changes of cultural heritage objects can be related with degradation of materials, thus a proper colour monitoring system can be used to detect conservation problems. With this purpose, a monitoring methodology for cultural heritage preventive conservation based on tailored colour reference charts and image analysis is proposed. Reference colour charts have been designed and tested for use in museums. Charts containing 64 colour patches have been printed using high-stability inks on 4 different substrates: Acid-free paper SkyLight, Acid-free paper covered with a propylene film, FOREX® and GlassPack. The stability has been studied by accelerated ageing in an UV chamber, and the harmlessness of the materials by Oddy Test. The final selection of material, laminated paper, is a balance between the colour change upon ageing and the performance in the Oddy Test. Using this material and the proposed design, colour change of copper and silver coupons has been assessed using images that are adjusted and calibrated by an adaptive calibration framework employing a given set of reference colours which homogenises the visual information in the supplied images. Thus, regardless of the camera of origin, any processed picture will deliver reliable information of the state of the colour in the metal surfaces at the moment it was taken. Results demonstrate the adequacy of the approach and the design for colour calibration, so these charts can be used to monitor colour change of sensitive materials –metal coupons– using photographs. As colour change of reference metals is a consequence of corrosion by environmental factors this may be used as a measure of air quality in museum environments. This methodology can be used to design a low-cost preventive conservation tool, where colour change of metal coupons –or other reference materials– can be followed through image analysis of pictures taken periodically by conservators or visitors, introducing citizen science in the conservation strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper tells us a complex story on the historic evolution of preventive conservation of architectural heritage in Italy. Firstly, it introduces Cesare Brandi's Theory of Restoration, pointing out the peculiar sense of the word Restoration in Brandi's system other than the common sense in the international discourse, the limits of Brandi's theory to architectural conservation and his prophecy on preventive restoration. Then it talks about the different framework and practices of preventive conservation in the field of built heritage compared to the museum sector, the milestone of Giovanni Urbani's pilot project on programmed conservation and the leading role of the Risk Map of Cultural Heritage. Finally, based on the discussions of the durable change in the architectural conservation field after the Venice Charter, including the teaching in Milan School, the debate and re-definition of architectural conservation and the advance definitions of conservation, prevention, maintenance and restoration in the 2004 National Code of Cultural Heritage and Landscape, it gives us an agenda for future trends of planned conservation with aims to conserve the material authenticity and promote the co-evolutional strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monumentenwacht (Monument Watch) is an organization that specializes in the periodic inspection of built heritage to raise awareness among owners and caretakers of the importance of proper maintenance and preventive conservation. It originated in the Netherlands in 1973. It was later established in Belgium, Germany, the UK, Denmark, Hungary, Italy, Slovak, Spain, France, and Portugal in the form of similar organizations and projects with similar aims. The organization promotes the idea of "prevention is better than cure" by offering periodic inspection, monitoring, and minor urgent repair and writing independent professional inspection reports as a reference for owners and users for further maintenance and conservation activities. This study explores the working mode of Monumentenwacht in Flanders, Belgium, including its historical development, organizational structure, inspection team configuration, professional inspection report, database, reporting system, and technical manuals. A brief analysis of other similar organizations and projects in various European countries is included to reveal efficient ways to promote this model while respecting different cultural, economic, social, legal, and political contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preservation of the cultural heritage of museums includes measures to prevent degrading effects induced by air temperature and humidity factors which are difficult to control. The present paper includes a synopsis of values of air temperature and relative humidity characterizing the indoor climate of the “Poni-Cernătescu” Museum of Iași, Romania for a period of one year. The objective of this research was to describe the museum microclimate and to identify and analyze the degradation risk of museum artifacts in order to study the impact of hygrothermal indoor and outdoor loads on indoor microclimate parameters. To achieve the objective, the following activities were carried out: acquisition of data on the relative humidity and the temperature of indoor and outdoor air; analysis of data with climate analysis tools and statistical methods; and transformation of data into quantitative and qualitative numerical measures of collection decay risks. The collected data enabled us to accurately describe the indoor climate conditions of the analyzed building. The main conclusions of the assessment were that the May–July period represented the interval with the highest degradation risk for all types of cultural assets (wood, leather, photos and paintings); this occurred because of the combination of a high amount of water vapor and high air temperature conditions. Based on charts and tabular data, this study presents the evolution of two parameters of internal microclimate, air temperature and relative humidity, and their correlation with external climate factors. The structural and functional parameters of the museum, the working levels of heating and air conditioning systems, the arrangement, the load, and the typological complexity of the artifacts displayed, were also considered in the analysis. The results obtained enabled us to develop useful recommendations to stabilize climate conditions inside the museum. Specific measures to mitigate the detrimental impact of the analyzed environmental factors are proposed. The results obtained show that in the basement, favorable conditions for mycelium growth occurred. In the summer months, across the entire museum space, the preservation indices were the lowest, from 20 to 25, so suitable conditions for storing the artifacts were not met.

Acetic acid and formic acid are volatile pollutants leading to degradation of some heritage materials. They are usually determined in museum environments with various types of passive samplers. In this work, SKC UMEx 200 passive samplers, originally intended for sampling of NO 2 and SO 2 , have been validated for sampling of these organic acids. The sampling rates, extraction efficiency, loss through reverse diffusion or during storage, capacity, and detection limits were determined for both acids. For laboratory exposure, a known concentration of both acids was prepared in a flow-through reactor system at controlled temperature and humidity, the samplers were extracted, followed by analysis using ion chromatography. The sampling rates were determined to be 16.7 ml/min for acetic and 17.7 ml/min for formic acid and the detection limits for 7-day exposure were determined to be 2.1 μ g / m 3 for acetic and 1.9 μ g/m 3 for formic acid. The validated method was finally used for sampling of air in two case studies at the National Museum of Slovenia, where the concentrations in the range of 2– 54 μ g/m 3 were determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes the use of simulation modelling to explore the effect of conservation strategies on the preservation of paper collections. Agent-based simulation was chosen as the simulation approach in order to capture the individual characteristics of the collections, their size, and the values of pH and degree of polymerisation (DP) for individual items. This approach enabled the simulation of the chemical degradation of different types of collections during their lifetime and under different preservation scenarios. We conducted a series of computational experiments on three types of collections, acidic, modern, and mixed, to explore the effect of slightly lowering the temperature and relative humidity in the repositories, the deacidification of part of the collection at different rates, and the delay in making the decision to start a deacidification treatment. The results indicated that a small change, lowering the storage conditions from 18°C to 16°C and from 50% to 40% RH, can protect up to 30% of the collection from reaching the critical DP of 300 within a time horizon of 500 years. On the other hand, to obtain similar results through deacidification, 45% of the mixed collection and 70% of the acidic collection should be deacidified within a period of 100 years. The experiments also indicated that better results are obtained when the priorities for deacidification are acidic records with a pH value below 5. This study shows that modelling the heterogeneity of the collections can support preservation management, particularly if the concern is not the preservation of a part of the collection but the collection as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cathedral of Santa María, where the Muñoz Chapel is located, is the most remarkable monument of the UNESCO Wold Heritage City of Cuenca (Spain). This emblematic chapel suffers an intense stone weathering by crystallization of a complex mixture of salts including epsomite, hexahydrite, gypsum, chlorides and phosphates. The salt dynamics is controlled by a variable indoor environment with daily and seasonal cyclicality. A methodology combining salt analysis, environmental monitoring and non-destructive stone inspection was adopted in order to understand the salt crystallization dynamics and finally, to design an adapted preventive conservation plan focused on the mitigation of the salt damages. Moreover, new parameters are designed in order to quantify the microenvironmental variability, establishing a new methodology for the analysis of indoor environments. Obtained results reveal that stone weathering is mainly due to: (1) the transformation of both CaSO 4 and MgSO 4 ·4H 2 O into CaSO 4 ·2H 2 O and MgSO 4 ·6H 2 O, respectively; and (2) the direct crystallization of MgSO 4 ·6H 2 O in the porous system. These phases crystallize as efflorescences and as subflorescences, causing granular disintegration, peeling and scaling on the stone. Several preventive measures are finally proposed, being focused on two main objectives: (1) reducing the access of salts and moisture to the monument; and (2) establishing a nonaggressive environment, keeping temperature and relative humidity constants in the range of 15−20 °C and 40–50%, respectively. This proposed climate range is defined in order to avoid both the crystallization of new salts in the porous system of the stone as well as volume changes of the present salts. This study constitutes a pilot project where to test the efficiency of these preventive measures that could be extensive to the whole cathedral complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Describing the Heritage Microclimate Risk (HMR) index. • Describing the Predicted Risk of Damage (PRD) index. • Detecting the microclimatic risk situations which jeopardise the cultural heritage. • Ensuring the preventive conservation of the cultural heritage. The conservation and safeguarding of historic buildings, and of everything that is housed within them, represents a challenge whose value is currently shared at a world level. The conservation of these cultural assets depends on a number of variables, with the microclimate playing a decisive role among them. For at least two decades, scientific literature in the field has been reporting experiences on individual case studies relative to the study of the microclimate and criteria for the conservation of the cultural and architectural heritage, in this regard, standards have also been enacted. Nevertheless, in our view, the research involves stand-alone case studies that are not comparable among one another, in particular with regard to the risk assessment of the place where the assets are located and/or the damage that these assets may undergo as a result of the microclimate of their environment. In this contribution we intend to present two risk indices related to the microclimate: the Heritage Microclimate Risk (HMR) index, which defines the level of risk to which an indoor room is exposed, compared to maximum and minimum values defined according to standards or based on the historical microclimate; and the Predicted Risk of Damage (PRD) index, which links the value of the HMR with the risk of damage to a specific material/object, which is exhibited or conserved within the room. The HMR and PRD are determined by the microclimate variables monitored on site, in particular, Air Temperature and Relative Humidity, or they can be obtained by means of Building Simulation. The proposed indices make it possible to define the potential microclimate risk within a room, as well as the probability that these conditions can cause damage to the objects of value therein conserved (collections, paintings, etc.). As an example, we have reported the application of the two HMR and PRD indices to the case study of a hall of the Royal Palace of Venaria Reale in Turin (Italy). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For centuries, Cuba was a key point on the trade routes between America and Europe. Along with other goods, mummies came to this part of the Caribbean. Cuba's tropical and humid climate is an impediment to both natural mummification and conservation of previously mummified remains. Despite this, there are some intact mummies from different periods and cultures in the island. Each one of them has an interesting story that, "The Cuban Mummy Project", an international and multidisciplinary project, has as its main objective to reveal the individual information of each one of the mummies, both historically and scientifically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Deri, tarih öncesi dönemlerden itibaren insanın farklı ihtiyaçlarına hizmet eden önemli bir malzemedir. Deri ve kürkler, örtünme ve barınma amacıyla pek çok eşyanın yapımında ana malzeme olarak kullanılmıştır. Mobilya, kutu, sandık vb. gibi ürünlerde ise deriden kaplama malzemesi olarak yararlanılmıştır. Günlük yaşamda kullanılan çeşitli eşyaların yanı sıra süslemeleriyle de dikkat çeken tarihi ve kültürel değeri olan çok sayıda deriden üretilmiş eser bulunmaktadır. Bu eserlerin bir kısmı müze ve özel koleksiyonlarda sergilenmekte diğer kısmı ise depolarda muhafaza edilmektedir. Deri organik yapısı nedeniyle elde edildiği andan itibaren bozulma eğilimindedir ve bu nedenle de korunması zor bir malzemedir. Deri eserler mevcut korunmuşluk durumlarına göre aktif veya pasif konservasyon yöntemleriyle korunmaktadır. Bu çalışmada deri eserlerde önleyici koruma yöntem ve teknikleri araştırılmıştır. Çalışmanın amacı, deri eserlerde risk oluşturan unsurların tespit edilerek koruma ilkeleri çerçevesinde yapılan önleyici koruma uygulamalarının belirlenmesidir. Önleyici koruma, koleksiyonların-eserlerin yönetimi, depolanması, kullanımı, taşınması veya sergilenmesi için güvenlik koşullarını ele alan pratik önlemler olarak tanımlanmaktadır. Kültürel nesnelerin doğal veya süreçsel, ortama bağlı bozulmasını geciktirmeyi amaçlayan uygulamalı bir koruma şeklidir. Kültürel ve tarihsel bir nesnenin korunmuşluk durumunu etkilemeden, bozulmasını önleyerek veya yavaşlatarak eserlerin uzun vadeli korunmasına hizmet etmektedir. İklim, ışık, kirleticiler, malzemenin emisyonları, zararlılar üzerindeki kontrol, güvenlik konseptlerinin (hırsızlık / yangın) oluşturulması, afet planlaması, risk değerlendirmesi, vitrinler ve depolar, eserlerin düzenli bakımları bu kapsamda değerlendirilmektedir. Bu nedenle önleyici koruma tüm restorasyon alanlarını etkileyen disiplinler arası bir çalışmadır. Leather is an important material that has served different needs of human beings since prehistoric times. Leather and furs were used as the main material in the construction of many items for covering and sheltering purposes. Furniture, boxes, chests, etc. In such products, leather was used as a coating material. In addition to various items used in daily life, there are many leather artifacts with the historical and cultural value that attract attention with their ornaments. Some of these works are exhibited in museums and private collections, while the other parts are kept in warehouses. Due to its organic nature, leather tends to deteriorate from the moment it is obtained and therefore it is a material that is difficult to protect. Leatherworks are protected by active or passive conservation methods, depending on their current conservation status. In this study, preventive conservation methods and techniques in leather works were investigated. The aim of the study is to determine the risk factors in leather works and to determine the preventive conservation practices within the framework of the conservation principles. Preventive preservation is defined as practical measures addressing security requirements for the management, storage, use, transportation, or display of collectionsartifacts. It is a practical form of preservation aimed at delaying the natural or depending on time and place deterioration of cultural objects. It serves the long-term conservation of artifacts by preventing or slowing down the deterioration of a cultural and historical object without affecting its preservation status. Microclimate, light, pollutants, emissions of material, control over pests, creation of security concepts (theft / fire), disaster planning, risk assessment, showcases and warehouses, regular maintenance of the works are evaluated within this scope. Therefore, preventive conservation is an interdisciplinary study that affects all restoration areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Imafronte. Revista de Historia del Arte is the property of Servicio de Publicaciones de la Universidad de Murcia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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Paper-based cultural relics experience irreversible aging and deterioration during long-term preservation. The most common process of paper degradation is the acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of cellulose. Nowadays, deacidification has been considered as a practical way to protect acidified literature; however, two important criteria of minimal intervention and reversibility should be considered. Inspired by the superior properties of bacterial cellulose (BC) and its structural similarity to paper, herein, the mineralized BC membranes are applied to deacidification and conservation of paper-based materials for the first time. Based on the enzyme-induced mineralization process, the homogeneous and high-loaded calcifications of hydroxyapatite (HAP) and calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) nanoparticles onto the nanofibers of BC networks have been achieved, respectively. The size, morphology, structure of minerals, as well as the alkalinity and alkali reserve of BC membranes are well controlled by regulating enzyme concentration and mineralization time. Compared with HAP/CaCO 3 -immersed method, HAP/CaCO 3 -BC membranes show more efficient and sustained deacidification performance on paper. The weak alkalinity of mineralized BC membranes avoids the negative effect of alkali on paper, and the high alkali reserve implies a good sustained-release effect of alkali to neutralize the future generated acid. The multiscale nanochannels of the BC membrane provide ion exchange and acid/alkali neutralization channels between paper and the BC membrane, and the final pH of protected paper can be well stabilized in a certain range. Most importantly, this BC-deacidified method is reversible since the BC membrane can be removed without causing any damage to paper and the original structure and fiber morphology of paper are well preserved. In addition, the mineralized BC membrane provides excellent flame-retardant performance on paper thanks to its unique organic-inorganic composite structure. All of these advantages of the mineralized BC membrane indicate its potential use as an effective protection material for the reversible deacidification and preventive conservation of paper-based cultural relics.

Conservation, research and communication are the basic functions of the museums according to the new museological approach, and conservation is one of the core missions since the birth of the museums. On the other hand, collections are the hearth of the museums and contribute to their development and activities. Storage areas protect collections and provides sustainability for the collection management. In this context, one of the main duties of museums is to maintain and manage collections in storage area under appropriate and safe conditions. Most of the museums in the world exhibit only a small percentage of their collections and so many collection items are housed in storage. Storage areas require regular monitoring, control and maintenance similar to exhibition galleries. Physical and environmental conditions of storage areas, storage systems and methods differ according to the material, condition, quantity and dimensions of the museum collections. Museum collections are defined as movable, immovable as well as tangible and intangible cultural heritage. Today, digital heritage is also part of the collections. Digital museum collections can be defined as born digital, digital or digitized item. Collecting, conservation, documentation, accessing or storage procedures of movable or tangible heritage in museums are on practice with well-developed principles, standards as well as collection management and conservation policies. However, identification, documentation, the concept of authenticity or issues of ownership of intangible cultural heritage is still on discussion. Digital preservation is also one of the recent research topics and practices for safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage. In this context, digitized intangible cultural heritage can defined as digital resources that are digitized from audio-visual recordings, photographs or ephemera which documents and preserves practices and their tools or spaces associated with. However, technology is developing much faster today and most of the digital tools have a very short life span. Thus, technological development is a challenge for preserving digitized intangible cultural heritage. In a broader sense, preservation of digital heritage in the museum storage areas including physical and environmental conditions of the storage area where the digital heritage is located, their storage system, method and the storage management procedures are different comparing to the preservation of tangible heritage or other movable cultural assets. In this framework, main research questions of this article are: How the digitalization practices contribute to the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage? As technology is changing rapidly, how the preservation tools and storage methods of the digitized intangible cultural heritage can be kept up with the technological developments? How long the life span of the digitized intangible cultural heritage collections can be extended in museum storage? The article will mainly focus on the storage management of digitized intangible cultural heritage, and explain their physical and environmental conditions in the museum storage area. Terms of digital heritage, digitized intangible cultural heritage, digital preservation as well as the history of digital preservation of museum collections, organizations/institutions' contributions in the field will be discussed. Information about the storage system, storage method with safe materials and procedures will be provided within the scope of literature review. The paper highlights contributions of the digitalization practices to the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage, major issues and challenges related to the digital preservation in museum storage, and propose steps for the sustainable storage management of digitized intangible cultural heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the establishment of the Turkish Republic, Ankara University Faculty of Agriculture became one of the foremost academic institutions specializing in traditional handicraft education in Turkey. Founded in 1933 as the Agricultural Colllege (Yüksek Ziraat Enstitüsü), it joined Ankara University in 1946. The Institute consisted of four faculties, including Natural Sciences, Agriculture, Veterinary and Agricultural Arts. Many textile artefacts from across Turkey were brought to the Institute from various regions of Turkey to be used as course materials during the 1930s, resulting in the first academic studies on raw materials, textures, contents and forms. The Institute’s written academic documents became sources of handicraft research while the textiles used during the courses have since acquired ethnographic artefact status. Owned by the Institute, these artefacts are the subject of the project titled “Establishing the Local (Village) Handicraft Collection of Ankara University”, which was approved and initiated in 2017 by the Ankara University Coordinatorship of Scientific Research Projects. The project entailed preventive conservation work on textiles with YZE tags (preparation of ID cards, photographic documentation, condition report), resulting in proposals for active conservation interventions. This article focuses on preventive conservation work carried out on the textiles with YZE tags, as well as the preparation of a catalogue containing written and visual information about these artefacts, and the design of a handicraft exhibition showcasing these textiles.

In this paper, the course of the Lucy Niemeyer Lace Collection belonging to the Fashion and Textiles Museum of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, is presented. The aim is to present the strategy followed, the interventions and the results of the preventive conservation activities. The activities comprise characterization of materials, records, cleaning, packing, cataloguing and disclosure of knowledge aiming at the collection preservation. The conservation methodology is based on the practices and theories used in national and international museums that deal with textile collections. Reference is made to the importance of virtual space to make knowledge available, since it facilitates access, enhances investigations and provides a form of preservation. It is a research with practical application, based on a qualitative approach, employing the case study as technical procedure.

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is modifying the workflow of the construction field, not only in design and construction stages but also for the management of the facilities. Most advances in academics and industry have focussed on the use of BIM for building. However, the possibilities of the use of three-dimensional information models for the construction and management of public works and civil engineering infrastructure projects (known as CIM) are still a matter of concern, being complex though offering a wider number of possibilities when compared with regular building industry. Moreover, the construction process in comparison with its lifespan represent only a small part of the investments for the use of public works. With this background, the possibilities based on BIM for the maintenance and rehabilitation of public heritage (HCIM) can greatly improve traditional management capabilities. Making best use of BIM and digitalisation for the management of public heritage (HCIM) requires creating tools for documentation, registering and data management to permit the adequate information transfer between the actors involved. Such actors may be experts or not and hold or not skills to use BIM tools. This study proposes the creation of a database to support the regular inspection during the lifespan of the infrastructure and connect it with the three-dimensional information model, serving the latter as an information repository of the whole life of the infrastructure. Such data include damage and causes as well as a description of the pathology and this information is referred to each element, showing all the historic measures taken. In addition, quantification and quotation of the repairs needed can be obtained. Lastly, the study has applied this methodology in Algeciras Market Hall, the notorious rationalist building designed by the engineer Eduardo Torroja and built in 1935. The results shown in this study can be of great interest for both researchers and practice, with an adaptation and innovation of the BIM and HCIM possibilities.

Two mass spectrometry (MS) methods, solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography (SPME–GC–MS) and direct analysis in real time (DART-MS), have been explored to investigate widespread efflorescence observed on exhibited objects at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian in New York (NMAI-NY). Both methods show great potential, in terms of speed of analysis and level of information, for identifying the organic component of the efflorescence as 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidinol (TMP-ol) emitted by the structural adhesive (Terostat MS 937) used for exhibit case construction. The utility of DART-MS was proven by detecting the presence of TMP-ol in construction materials in a fraction of the time and effort required for SPME–GC–MS analysis. In parallel, an unobtrusive SPME sampling strategy was used to detect volatile organic compounds (VOCs) accumulated in the exhibition cases. This sampling technique can be performed by collections and conservation staff at the museum and shipped to an off-site laboratory for analysis. This broadens the accessibility of MS techniques to museums without access to instrumentation or in-house analysis capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Hypogeum environments often present relevant artefacts. • Cultural and touristic fruition often modify their environment conditions thus promoting degradation. • A significant hypogeum scenario is taken as a case study. • Long-term monitoring of indoor environment conditions was carried out. • A novel analytical approach to assess the visitors' admissible impact is carried out and experimentally validated. • A sustainable fruition strategy was designed and tested for artefacts conservation. As well as valuable Building Heritage, hypogeum scenarios often host artefacts such as i.e. graffiti, paintings or low reliefs, but differently to them, they are characterized by very particular microclimatic conditions due to their isolation from the outdoor environment. This way, they are very susceptible to human impact due to visitors' fruition that can cause or accelerate degradation processes. Strategies for preventive conservation of Cultural Heritage should balance Heritage conservation (i.e. building materials and surfaces, hosted goods and chattels) and public access (i.e. visitors' fruition). In these scenarios, preventive conservation strategies are based on the definition of both interventions on technical installations (to restore or improve indoor environment conditions) and operative models for sustainable fruition (to diminish the impact of stressors on the Heritage). Combining such strategies is not viable in hypogeum environments, which can be hardly equipped by technical systems. To face with such issues, this work proposes a novel strategy for Heritage conservation inside hypogeum environments based on the joint combination between environment microclimatic characterization and visitors' impact definition. The proposed strategy has been developed and tested on a significant case of study: Palazzo Campana's hypogeum (Osimo, Italy). This hypogeum is a typical example of man-made underground structure characterized by sandstone walls carved in artistic value high-reliefs. Currently, its walls have been becoming very friable and subsequently their surfaces have been exposing to harsh deterioration phenomena. The strategy firstly includes indoor temperature and relative humidity long-term monitoring by means of a real-time widespread sensors system, so as to evaluate microclimatic conditions and its admissible gradients. A novel visitors' admissible impact is defined on these data, by considering visiting time and numbers of visitors so as to not alter the indoor climate conditions. Visitors' access tests are then carried out to confirm the proposed visitors' admissible impact. Results demonstrate the capability of the proposed combined strategies and the possible extension to other Heritage scenarios to reduce the impact of direct interventions and improve preservation aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twenty-one archaeological sites in Greece were selected to study their exposure to particulate pollution, in terms of aerosol loading and chemical type, to infer on the potential impact on the structural materials (specifically stone) of the monuments, using Space-Borne Remote Sensing instruments, MODIS and CALIPSO. The analysis revealed three geographical distributed clusters, with higher loads in the northern Greece, slightly lower values in the south-east corner of Greece and finally the lower values over an area that transverses Greece from its NW to its SE corners, with differences spanning from 15 to 20%. The most dominant aerosol types in terms of occurrence were polluted dust (38%) followed by dust (28%), together accounting for on average 66% of the time, while the sites located on islands showed increased exposure to clean marine aerosol (in the order of 25%). Polluted continental aerosol increased over continental areas at the north and west parts of Greece, while smoke contribution was as high as 35% in specific sites. Three distinct seasonal patterns were also revealed with respect to aerosol loadings, a summer maximum cycle in the north part of Greece, a spring maximum along an arc-like path from the west coastline towards the southern parts of Greece and a spring and summer plateau in different parts of the Greek territory. During the last decade, an important decrease in aerosol levels was observed (on average 15 ± 6% per decade), attributed to effective controlling and mitigating measures in Europe. In conclusion, the exposure of antiquities to aerosols in Greece, varies in time, seasonal intensification and chemical type, thus continuous monitoring of particulate pollution over cultural heritage (CH) sites is imperative to support the selection and design of appropriate measures in the field of preventive conservation of monuments, in order to mitigate corrosion and avoid further damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rouse Hill House Estate is a historic property, one of twelve sites managed by Sydney Living Museums (SLM, the Historic House Trust of New South Wales). Spread across the site, nineteenth-century structures including the house, stables and outbuildings, which house over 18,000 collection items. The property was in the private ownership of a single-family until 1978. Its significance lies in the intact nature of the buildings, landscapes, interiors and collections, and the complex layering of material over time. The conservation management plan, which guides the care and management of the site, aims to preserve the intact nature of the site as a whole, with minimal intervention. This paper reflects on the effectiveness of the plan over a 30-year period, and the way it has adapted over time, addressing the challenges of the inevitable deterioration of materials exposed to an uncontrolled and sometimes extreme environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collections care in temperate zones of the world, including Scotland, is generally well served by a system of heating control known as conservation heating or humidistat-controlled heating. This system adjusts temperature in a building in order to maintain relative humidity at desired levels. An alternative control method is through the use of dehumidification, although airtightness of the building influences the effectiveness of this. This paper assesses three sites where these methods of control have been used: the Great Hall at Edinburgh Castle, Abbots House at Arbroath Abbey in eastern Scotland and Skelmorlie Aisle in western Scotland. The benefits of each system are discussed, together with consideration of the effect of climate change on the efficacy of each. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2011 Historic Royal Palaces began to investigate protective measures for historic tapestries on open display at Hampton Court Palace. The environmental exposure conditions for each tapestry were analysed and mapped to evaluate risk. An innovative method to reduce illuminance and direct sunlight on the historic tapestries using 'smart' technologies was developed. The design, testing and implementation of the installation of Smart Tint liquid crystal films whose optical appearance can be switched electrically from opaque to transparent, are presented. Substantial reduction (>90%) in direct light transmission could be achieved when the film is opaque. It also provides additional protection from ultraviolet (99%) and infrared radiation (98%). An entirely reversible and customised installation method had to be devised using pressure-fixed lightweight aluminium frames. An automated controller was also installed to change the individual windows from clear to opaque during different times of the day depending on their orientation and the time of the year while a dedicated wireless mesh network system enabled communication between each window and the controller. The impact of this installation is described. The use of 'smart' technologies offered dynamic light protection for collections on open display while maintaining the presentation of the historic room. The benefits of adopting this innovative technology include its flexible and unobtrusive installation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most telling artifacts in the 9/11 Memorial Museum is the slurry wall, a vestige in situ of the pre-9/11 World Trade Center complex, preserved under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. This subterranean 20 meter long section of the perimeter wall that surrounded 4.5 hectares of the Trade Center site was never meant to be seen or tell its story. Made of reinforced concrete,and tied back to bedrock, its job was to hold back the waters of the Hudson River. The wall was a marvel of engineering in its time and on 11 September 2001 withstood untold forces and thus acquired new meaning – the once mute, utilitarian object became a symbol of hope and resilience. The slurry wall no longer performs the work it was intended to – there is another loadbearing structure behind it – but remains in conversation with Mother Nature. The wall weeps, which has catalyzed corrosion of the steel, introduced salts and a host of other material concerns. The complexity of the slurry wall, as an artifact and an architectural element of the Museum that affects its environment, has necessitated collaboration between a diverse group of stakeholders to parse its secrets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vibration generated by use of masonry equipment can be a threat to wall paintings. Its assessment, mitigation and control is of critical importance to risk management and the safeguarding of works of art, particularly those which are immovable. The planned programme of window restoration in the Royal Gallery, Palace of Westminster, started in 2016, directly above the monumental wall painting of Trafalgar, had the potential to cause serious damage to this painting. For a period of 18 months the Curator's Office worked with stakeholders, conservation scientists, conservators and stone masons to minimise risk. The project developed a monitoring strategy, set vibration thresholds, managed risk and negotiated the use of tools and working methods. To assess vibration data loggers equipped with 3-axis acceleration sensors were installed at critical locations. To corroborate these findings assessment was undertaken using a sound level analyser. This assessed acceleration at a series of frequencies in the 0–100 Hz range considered most damaging to artworks. However, a critical component was conservator-led in situ monitoring of vibration. When necessary, this live monitoring allowed conservators to dynamically assess and negotiate the adaptation of tools and techniques to reduce levels. This real-time approach proved essential in understanding peaks and changes in levels of vibration; informing discussion between stakeholders, ensuring monitoring translated into effective preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]