Conservation

Penn Museum’s Conservation Lab is tasked with the long term preservation and conservation of the Museum’s artifact collections.

Working with other Museum staff, our duties include:

• review, treatment, and setting exhibit parameters for all objects going on exhibit or loan
• setting travel requirements for all artifacts going on loan or traveling exhibit
• working with collections staff to provide best possible environment for long term preservation of collections in storage
• providing conservation consultation for Museum staff, researchers, students, and the general public

Since the summer of 2010, the Conservation Department has been housed in temporary spaces, awaiting completion of the West Wing renovation, which will see us in a larger, custom-designed conservation suite. Although our temporary spaces are smaller and not designed as labs, we are maintaining and growing our programs.

Additionally, we have a number of work study students and pre-program interns helping out.