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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCUL 020 Conservation Policy Policy Policy Title: Artifact Conservation Policy Policy Number CUL 020 Reference Canadian Association of Conservators Code of Ethics and Guidance for Practice Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada Canadian Museum Association Ethics Guidelines Standards for Community Museums in Ontario Council Resolution #373/17 Date Originated (m/d/y) October 27, 2014 Date Revised (m/d/y) December 2017 January 2022 Pages 7 Approval: Chief Administrative Officer Point of Contact Manager, Cultural Services Policy Objective Objects give us a unique access to the past: we can learn about past values from what people kept, what materials objects were made from, what objects were used for, and what daily life was like based on interpretation of those objects. The mission of Pickering Museum Village (hereinafter referred to as “PMV”) is to ignite imaginations through a living history museum that fosters a connection to Pickering by collecting, preserving, and interpreting artifacts and social culture. PMV participates in Standards for Community Museums in Ontario and as a responsible steward of the artifacts in its possession, the PMV will uphold a standard of care to preserve the over ten thousand artifacts in the museum’s collection. Index 01 Definitions 02 Conservation Priorities 03 Conservation Standards 04 Conservation Ethics 05 Policy Review Policy Title: Conservation Policy Page 2 of 4 Policy Number: CUL 020 01 Definitions 01.01 Artifact – an object made by a human, of historic or cultural interest. The PMV’s artifacts include the heritage buildings on site, vehicles, equipment, furniture, homewares, clothing, consumer goods, religious items, and other objects that represent the history of the broader Pickering area. 02 Conservation Priorities The City of Pickering will employ the least invasive Conservation method in preserving the Museum’s artifact collection. Conservation methods shall be employed in the following order of priority: 02.01 Preventative Maintenance: Maintenance consists of regular inspections of artifacts and may involve small-scale treatments (e.g. surface cleaning, renewal of protective coatings, etc.). Preventative maintenance prevents decay and helps to prevent large scale conservation restoration treatments. A suitable maintenance program implemented after a conservation treatment aims at preserving the improved conditions of an artifact. The Museum follows standard operating procedures in preventative maintenance and provides training to staff and volunteers in preventative maintenance. 02.02 Preventative Conservation: Actions taken to mitigate damage and deterioration to an artifact. This is achieved through measures to reduce the harm of ultra violet lighting, poor environmental conditions, poor air quality, pests, human handling, and security risks. The Museum follows standard operating procedures in preventative conservation and provides training to staff and volunteers in preventative conservation, where appropriate. 02.03 Stabilization: A conservation treatment that is intended to stop or minimize an artifact’s deterioration while maintaining its integrity. Stabilization is the least invasive form of Conservation Treatment and is used when preventative measures are insufficient to reduce deterioration to a tolerable level or if the artifact is so fragile that it will be endangered under any other circumstances. 02.04 Conservation Treatment: Conservation treatment is undertaken in order to stabilize, consolidate, clean, repair, remove non-original additions, strengthen, or reassemble an artifact, or return it to the appearance of a known previous state by means of physical or chemical intervention. Preservation of the physical, historical and aesthetic integrity of the object shall take precedence over all other considerations. Conservation treatments will employ techniques and materials which, to the best of current knowledge, will neither endanger the true nature of the object nor impede future treatments or the retrieval of information through scientific examination. 02.05 Restoration: Actions taken to modify the existing materials and structure of an artifact to represent a known earlier state. The aim of restoration is to reveal the Policy Title: Conservation Policy Page 3 of 4 Policy Number: CUL 020 culturally significant qualities of an artifact. Restoration is based on clear evidence of a former state. 03 Conservation Standards Conservation Standards are outlined in the Canadian Association of Conservators Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice and also in the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada. 03.01 Retain Historic Characteristics of Artifacts: Distinctive features, finishes, and construction techniques or examples of craftsmanship that characterize an artifact shall be preserved. For heritage buildings, the historic characteristics of the artifact will be identified in a Statement of Significance. For artifacts, heritage characteristics will be identified in collections records. Should a character-defining element of an artifact require repair or replacement, a Conservator’s recommendation of the appropriate conservation treatment will be required before any intervention occurs. 03.02 Historical Accuracy: Each artifact shall be recognized as a physical record of its time, place, and use. Changes that create a false sense of historical development, such as adding speculative features or architectural elements shall not be undertaken. 03.03 Historical Record: Properties of artifacts can change over time; those changes that have acquired historic significance in their own right shall be retained, recorded, and preserved. 03.04 Differentiating Historic from modern: New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction shall not destroy historic materials that characterize the artifact. The new work shall be differentiated from the old and shall be compatible and subordinate to the artifact in the massing, size, scale, and architectural features to protect the historic integrity of the artifact. New additions or new construction shall be undertaken in such a manner that if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the artifact would be unimpeded. 04 Conservation Ethics When undertaking artifact conservation, The City of Pickering shall follow the Conservation ethics outlined in the Canadian Association of Conservators Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice. The following are some of the general obligations outlined in the Code of Ethics. A Conservator may include Museum Staff or a third party contracted Conservator, including Heritage Architects. 04.01 Examination: The Conservator shall make a thorough examination of the artifact and shall document this examination before performing any conservation treatment. This examination includes a determination of its structure and materials and an assessment of its condition. In particular, the examination includes the Policy Title: Conservation Policy Page 4 of 4 Policy Number: CUL 020 extent of deterioration, alteration and loss. The Conservator shall study relevant historical and technical records. Where necessary, the Conservator shall initiate analyses of materials and undertake research into historical, conceptual and technical aspects of the artifact. The Conservator may also consult with heritage professionals or subject matter experts in order to ensure that their understanding of the historical record and heritage characteristics of an artifact take into account different interpretations of the historical record. 04.02 Treatment Proposal: on the basis of the examination, the Conservator shall report their findings and recommendations in writing to the City, including justification for and the objectives of the treatment, an estimate of resources required, alternate approaches, if feasible, and the potential risks of treatment. 04.03 Documentation: The Conservator shall document their work by recording all essential details of the conservation of an artifact. Documentation is part of the history of the artifact and shall be produced and maintained by the City in as permanent a manner as is practical. 05 Policy Review 05.01 This policy will be reviewed a minimum of every three years Please refer to all associated Procedures and Standard Operating Procedures, if applicable, for detailed processes regarding this Policy.