🔎 At our object store in west London, we are working hard to study, record, digitise, pack & transport 300,000 objects to their new home at the National Collections Centre in Wiltshire.
Today our conservation team are sharing what they do 👇
Conversation
Hello 👋
Our job involves checking the condition of objects that may need treatment before they can be packed and moved to their new home.
We work closely with the inventory and hazard teams, who alert us to objects which might need our attention.
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Some objects we work with need treatment to stabilise them so they can be safely transported, while others may need specialist packing.
Today we wanted to share a few objects we’ve worked with recently. You can find out more in our new blog post blog.sciencemuseum.org.uk/conserving-the
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This is before and after conservation of a print duplicator.
The object’s rubber roller has degraded, becoming sticky with a caramel-like consistency.
The residue collected in the case and could be a risk to other objects when this object is packed, so we removed the residue.
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This is Conservator Ruth treating a number of metal record canisters.
In preparation for packing, the tape showing the original company logo is being stabilised where it has become brittle over time.
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We work closely with the Hazards team to treat objects they identify may need treatment or specialist packing, such as those containing mercury or corroded lead.
Find out more about the work of the Hazards team in their recent blog post
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This section of a chip log from the early 19th century has a lead weighted component.
The lead can become hazardous when it corrodes, so here is it in the fume hood ready to be treated by Conservator Kay.
Find out more about the object here collection.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects/co5547
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And here it is after treatment - a much happier little fish!
The corrosion was removed and Kay then painted a protective coating over the lead to make it safe for people to pack.
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The team also undertake very careful packaging of especially fragile or hazardous objects to ensure they can be moved safely to the new home for the collection.
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This mercury filled glass tube with a cork stopper from an 18th century air pump needed careful packing to be moved w/out leaking.
Its round base means it can’t stand upright so we made a support. We also sealed the top and will place it in a plastic tub for transport.
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Here Kay is conserving equipment used by Dr. Ludwig Koch for recording bird song. It has a disc recording and play-back desk, amplifier, loudspeaker and a wooden box containing leads and headphones
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Our friends kindly let Kay use this equipment in their lab.
We test adhesives before using them for the first time & as we have a few crumbly things to conserve, Weetabix seemed like a good thing to test the adhesive on!
*other breakfast cereals also available
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The conservation team also prepare objects which are going on display in our five museums or on loan to other museums around the UK and the world.
You can read a little more about what we do here
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Here Conservator Adriana is cleaning this early 19th century achromatic microscope, made from brass.
She is swabbing the object with petroleum spirits to remove any dirt and greasy marks from the surface.
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We're using our Pleco pen again, this time Conservator Matt is experimenting on items not in the collection to find the best method of removing corrosion from lead – something which is hazardous and important to treat.
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A large part of our team’s work is caring for objects while they are in our stores. This means regular checks are needed to ensure that the objects are kept clean, free from pests and secure from environmental changes.
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We love animals, but mice are classed as a pest in museums due to the damage they do to any ‘shreddable’ objects. Their sharp teeth can chew through a huge range of material which they use for nesting 🐭🐁
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Our team use a range of traps to monitor levels of insects within the museum and stores.
These sticky traps catch insects and the team use the traps to identify areas where there are more insects than usual so we can take action 🐜🐞🦋
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Today in our lab, Conservator Marisa is carrying out some textile work.
She is constructing a mount for a series of peg dolls using tiny pieces of magnetic strip sewn into conservation-grade material. Due to the complicated construction, this all has to be done by hand.
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