Collection care

This is where you can find information on condition reporting, cleaning and handling a range of material types, as well as policy related resources. Some resources are categorised in Disaster.

The Care and Handling of Library Collections

The Sherman Fairchild Center for Book Conservation, Thomas J. Watson Library, has put together this video on the care and proper handling of library materials.

Airborne Particles in Museums

This study from The Getty Conservation Institute represents part of a series of research activities aimed at a better understanding of the origin and fate of air pollution within the built environment.

Digital Preservation Handbook

This Handbook provides a practical guide to managing digital resources over time and the issues in sustaining access to them.

Rust Never Sleeps: Care and Conservation of Farm Machinery

This publication from the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences is for anyone who cares for historic farm machinery.

reCollections : Caring for Collections Across Australia

Provides practical advice and guidance designed to help museums, galleries, and custodians of historical collections care for their heritage. reCollections explains how to apply preventative conservation techniques to cultural objects and collections.

Painting Conservation, identifying damage and storing paintings in your collection

Conservators from International Conservation Services demonstrate the most common types and causes of damage that may arise in paintings and how to identify them. Additionally, they cover the ideal conditions for storing and displaying paintings in your collection.

Paper Conservation, identifying common forms of damage and storing paper in your collection

A Conservator from International Conservation Services demonstrates the most common types and causes of damage that can affect paper collections and explains how to identify them. Additionally, the presentation covers the ideal conditions for storing and displaying paper items in your collection.

Caring for Collections Work Book

This how to guide provides an overview of how to care for book and document and why this is important. By the British Library Preservation Advisory Centre.

Cleaning in Museums

This how to guide by History SA takes you through a cleaning regime for the museum space, display and storage areas and individual objects.

Visual Glossary of conservation terms

This web resource is a set of photographic images which describe damage and deterioration in object collections.

Combatting Mould

This how to pamphlet by Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory is all about how to combat mould in the wet season.

Handling Museum Objects

Preventive conservation starts with careful handling. This M&G how to guide takes you through some guidelines on how to handle objects.

Handling paper, paintings and framed objects

This how to sheet by M&G will take you through the steps of handling papers, paintings and framed objects.

Handling textiles, furniture, ceramics and glass objects

This how to guide by M&G will show you how to handle textiles, furniture, ceramics and glass objects.

Identify medical objects in museum collections

This how to by M&G NSW takes you through the steps of identifying medical objects in your collection and why it is important to do so.

Managing Pests in the Collection

This how to sheet from History SA will assist you with Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

Pack and store books

This online resource will help you manage the conservation needs of books in your collection.

Plan and Prioritise for Collection Care

A collection care how to guide by SHARE Museums East.

Preventive Conservation

This how to guide looks at practical steps you can take to ensure the protection, safety and security of your collection. By Te Papa National Services.

NGV Artists’ Colourmen Resource

This how to guide assists in the identification and dating of paintings using Artists' Colourmen stamps.

Caring for photographic collections

This how-to guide includes common causes of deterioration and several quick tips for preventing damage to photographic collections.

Condition Reports – the Essentials

There are several different types of condition reports and many sorts of condition reporting forms. This guide outlines the essentials of creating a thorough and accurate report.

Environmental guidelines: an interim position

This report addresses changes to the Environmental Guidelines for storage and display of collections in museums and galleries.

Condition Reports

This guide outlines the equipment and vocabulary commonly used when creating condition reports.

Caring for Historic Farm Machinery

This publication is for museums and historical societies with heritage collections, museum advisors and private collectors.

Guidelines for the Care of Media Artworks

This site aims to be a resource for collectors, artists, and institutions of all sizes caring for works of art that have moving image, electronic, and digital elements.

Collections Care Manual

The Collections Care Manual developed by Western Australian Museum is an online resource developed for small museums, galleries and private collectors.

Preservation of historic leather, including saddlery

This how to guide looks at practical steps you can take to ensure the protection of historic leather objects, including saddlery.

Looking After Silver

This sheet explains how to clean silver and how to slow down the corrosion process.

A simple mount for photos and documents

Photos and documents can be protected with this simple mount for display.

Scanning photographs

This resource takes you through the process of scanning and making digital copies of photographs in your collection.

How to Make a Book Support for Display

This resource provides instructions to make a simple archival book support for display.

How to Make Photo Corners for Display

This resource gives step by step instructions on how to effectively secure photos or documents to an archival backboard for display.

Why aren’t you wearing gloves? The conservators’ guide to object handling in the British Museum

To help clear up confusion, the British Museum asked their conservators to explain when you should (and shouldn't) wear gloves while handling museum objects.

How to Brush Vacuum an Object

Removing dust and dirt by brush vacuuming (surface cleaning) can be very beneficial for many material types.

Light Damage and Light Control

Light damage is cumulative and irreversible but can be minimised.

A guide to interpreting horse-drawn carriages in museum collections

This guide brings together best practice in the interpretation of carriages to help museums bring them to life. Developed by the Staffordshire Carriage Collection.