Collection Care: Did you know?

Here are just a few of the factors which the County Museum Service have to take into account when caring for the objects in their care.

If you would like further information on looking after museum collections follow the link to the Museums Development Project.

Sticky fingers!

Every time we touch an object our fingers leave moisture, natural oils and dirt behind. This can not only cause objects to discolour but can also speed up the process of decay. The friction caused by fingers rubbing against an object can also wear away the surface over time. To prevent damage to the objects museum staff wear cotton gloves when handling them.

Hungry Bugs!

Insect pests can damage museum objects made from organic materials such as wool, wood or leather. Furniture beetle larvae feed on wood and paper, silverfish scavenge on glue and ink and carpet beetles eat not only carpets but also historic costume and stuffed animals. Other bugs to look out for are biscuit and tobacco beetles which will eat pressed flowers and drug store beetles which can eat drugs and spices in quantities that should be highly toxic to a creature of their size.

Monitoring the environment

Special instruments are used within the museum to record the environmental conditions within the galleries and stores.
A thermohydrograph measures the amount of moisture in the air and the temperature. Warm humid air can damage objects by causing them to expand and swell or corrode. These conditions also encourage mould to grow. A dehumidifier is used to maintain a constant suitable humidity within the museum gallery.

A lux meter is used to measure the amount of light in the museum gallery. Light can damage museum objects. Organic materials such as dyes and pigments can fade or discolour when exposed to strong sunlight. Therefore, the light levels within the museum are kept as low as possible. Stores are kept dark and objects are placed in boxes. The most damaging form of light is ultraviolet light. Ultraviolet light can cause objects to disintegrate or discolour. As we do not need ultraviolet light to see it is kept out of the museum by using special films on the windows and in the glass of the display cases.

First aid for museum objects

Many medical innovations are used within the museum to treat objects. Conservators use X-rays to examine objects in detail without damaging them. It is especially useful in seeing objects which are obscured by corrosion or dirt. The X-ray can reveal the shape and construction of an object and any surface decoration.