Collections Care

This allows better understanding of our collection spaces and enables us to make necessary changes to ensure the long-term stability of the objects.

Pests are a major threat to collections and the damage that they can inflict on objects should not be underestimated. In order to make sure that there are no infestations or threats to any collection, pest traps are strategically placed in the spaces that house the collections and are regularly inspected.

Keeping an historic collection clean can be challenging, especially when it is held in spaces that are in regular use. We use conservation-grade cleaning supplies and have a dedicated cleaning team for the historic areas of the college. The conservation team also undertake cleaning projects and liaise with external specialists.

We inspect and document the condition of the collections. We search for signs of damage, deterioration or alteration. This allows us to plan for their storage and display, as well as for treatment or transportation, when necessary.

Remedial conservation consists of working directly to stabilise an object and slow down its deterioration. We apply general principles of conservation, which include minimum intervention, reversibility and re-treatability. Conservation treatments are carried out here by the conservation staff on site and also by commissioning treatment specialists.