Collections Care
What does "equality of care" mean in the context of collections?
All objects receive the same level of care
Housing for objects should be ________, meaning they are chemically inert or non-reactive
archival grade
How can light be measured?
Wavelength (nanometers, nm)
Light intensity (lux, lx) which is also referred to as a foot candle
Define risk in the context of museum risk management.
Product of the probability of a loss event and its potential cost
Preservation, conservation, and restoration are all _____ oriented
Object
Name the 2 "bad" or malignant plastics.
Polyvinyl fluoride (PVC) and Polyurethane
Photo degradation is caused by photochemistry and thermochemistry. What types of light fall under these?
Photochemistry: Visible and UV light
Thermochemistry: Infrared
Define insurance.
An agreement or contract between two parties whereby for a specified premium, the insuring party guarantees a certain sum will be paid for a specified loss to the insuree
Define preservation. What are the two types?
Preservation: Remove or minimize conditions that lead to deterioration, alteration, or loss in order to maintain the object in a stable state
1. Preventive Maintenance 2. Preventive Conservation
What are the 3 categories of preventive maintenance?
1. Cleaning, packaging, housing 2. Safe handling 3. Packaging and transport
Explain the reciprocity principle.
The time of exposure times the intensity of light is proportional to the total photodegradation affect
Low risk, Medium risk, High risk, Very high risk
What are the 4 aspects of collections care?
Preventive maintenance, Preventive conservation, Conservation, Housekeeping
Name the 4 "good" plastics.
Polyester, Polythene, Polypropylene, Polystyrene
Name the 4 aspects of environmental control.
Temperature, Humidity, Light, Pollutants and particulates
Name the 4 types of insurance professionals.
Agent, Broker, Underwriter, Claims adjuster
Explain the difference between conservation and restoration.
Conservation is to return a deteriorated or damaged object to stability through reversible, minimally intrusive methods
Restoration is to return a deteriorated or damaged object to a condition close to its original or predetermined condition
Mechanical Cleaning: Manual method to remove substances from adhering to objects. Ex. vacuum
Chemical Cleaning: Removal of substances from adhering to objects through the use of acids or bases. Ex. distilled water
Name the 4 main pollutants.
Organic acid, Hydrogen sulfide, Carbonyl sulfide, Aldehydes
Name 5 of the most common problems for museum insurance (6 total).
Handling and transport, Record keeping, Storage conditions (housing and packaging), Valuations, Security, Hazards