Many large collecting organisations have conservation or preservation facilities that care for their institutional collections. Museums and galleries tend to describe their facilities as Conservation Departments, while Libraries and Archives prefer the term of Preservation Department. This naming reflects somewhat different approaches to the often different collection types found in the different collecting domains.
With the development of preventive conservation as a field of activity, conservation has moved toward a philosophy of preservation. Preventive conservation focuses on managing the condition of whole collections at one time through environmental management.
Below are a small number of links to Australian websites with significant conservation or preservation web pages. The list will grow as more organisations create attractive conservation / preservation information resources. Please note that the absence of representation of other organisations does not imply exclusion. Like other parts of this Showcase, it is anticipated that this page will expand to include links to other organisations working in conservation / preservation from around Australia in the coming months.
The Australian Insitute for the Conservation of Cultural Material is the professional Australian conservators association. The AICCM has a range of membership categories for people interested in materials conservation and preservation. Explore the AICCM website and consider becoming a member. URL: http://www.aiccm.org.au/
Many people working in conservation and preservation belong to this organisation which offers guidance on matters of education, training, employment, conservators in private practice and conservation standards, in addition to offering groups in areas of special interest to its members.
The Collections Council has checked the currency of the links and other information at the time of publication and will continue to monitor this. However, if you notice any errors (including broken links), or can suggest other websites with attractive and comprehensive conservation / preservation web pages, please contact the Collections Council at email: info@collectionscouncil.com.au
Artlab Australia
Artlab is a business of the South Australian government that services state collecting organisations and generates a third of its income through private contracts, both in Australia and overseas. It offers conservation expertise in a wide range of conservation fields and runs regular Consultation Days for the public. Find some Artlab staff career stories at the Careers page of this Showcase.
URL: http://www.artlabaustralia.com.au/
Artworks Conservation
Located in Western Australia, but able to work across Australia, this business specialises in the conservation of three dimensional artworks and artefacts including organics, inorganics, public art and industrial heritage.
URL: http://www.artworksconservation.com
Australian Museum
This museum's Conservation Department focusses on natural history and ethnographic collections. There are many useful pages including a range of project and Frequently Asked Questions.
URL: http://www.amonline.net.au/materials_conservation/
Australian War Memorial
Caring for your mementoes leaflets offer advice about a range of object and material types familiar to the leading Australian memorial organisation. Click through to the Conservation Features and Case Studies to see how research is an important precursor to any conservation treatment.
URL: http://www.awm.gov.au/aboutus/conservation/index.asp
Heritage Victoria
The Heritage Victoria Conservation Department practices archaeological conservation. The website gives examples of typical archaeological object types and how they are managed.
URL: http://www.heritage.vic.gov.au//Archaeology/Material-artefact-conservation.aspx
International Conservation Services
International Conservation Services is a large conservation business located in Sydney. It undertakes commissions from around the world that range from delicate textiles conservation tasks through to site management plans for Antarctic Heritage. ICS has kindly contributed examples of some of its projects to the Projects page of this Showcase.
URL: http://www.icssydney.com.au/
National Archives of Australia
Frameworks for the particular preservation needs of archives are well described here.
URL: http://www.naa.gov.au/records-management/secure-and-store/e-preservation/index.aspx
National Gallery of Australia
A beautiful introduction to the work of this Conservation Department in objects, paintings, paper, textiles and preventive conservation. The essay includes a dramatic view of the materials conservation laboratory.
URL: http://www.nga.gov.au/Conservation
Patinations
This attractive website shows the tools of the furniture conservator / restorer’s trade and thumbnail images of some projects.
URL: http://www.patinations.com.au/
Powerhouse Museum
Some examples of current research and treatment projects from this large conservation department are complemented by a wonderful preservation search engine called 'CARE search'.
URL: http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/preservation
Preservation Australia
This conservation business specialises in preventive conservation, and offers training through workshops and seminars.
URL: http://www.preservationaustralia.com.au/workshops_seminars/
Queensland Art Gallery
The challenges of contemporary art conservation are the focus of this Conservation Department. This page includes examples of some more traditional artwork treatments and references to a scientific investigation undertaken at the Gallery.
URL: http://www.qag.qld.gov.au/research/conservation
State Library of Queensland
Look for the Caring for the Collections display wall which is conservation focussed. The display includes examples of library collection materials and information on how they are managed and is arranged around viewing windows into the conservation laboratory.
URL: http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/whats-on/exhibit/cur
State Library of South Australia
Ever wanted to know what 'collection maintenance' is? This website showcases the range of tasks undertaken by this library-based preservation team and includes some great behind-the-scenes photos.
URL: http://www.samemory.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=68
Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
This state based museum and gallery presents information here about its heritage furniture restoration unit.
URL: http://www.tmag.tas.gov.au/Services/FurnRestore.html
Western Australian Museum
This natural history and social history museum also specialises in shipwreck and rock art conservation and is a world leader in shipwreck conservation science. After viewing this page, explore the other maritime aspects of the site.
URL: http://www.museum.wa.gov.au/collections/conservation/conservation.asp