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The Natural History Museum: Natural History collections, their conservation and interpretation

The Natural History Museum: Natural History collections, their conservation and interpretation. Julie Harvey New Perspectives Project Co-ordinator Chris Collins Head of Conservation. Natural History Museum. 3.8 million visitors . Museum visitors. Marine Invertebrate Gallery.

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The Natural History Museum: Natural History collections, their conservation and interpretation

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  1. The Natural History Museum: Natural History collections, their conservation and interpretation Julie Harvey New Perspectives Project Co-ordinator Chris Collins Head of Conservation

  2. Natural History Museum

  3. 3.8 million visitors Museum visitors

  4. Marine Invertebrate Gallery

  5. Bryozoans- Lace corals

  6. Objects of cultural significance

  7. Scientific Institution- 300 scientists: 70 million specimens

  8. Sir Hans Sloane Joseph Banks Charles Darwin HistoricalSignificance

  9. SEM- Diatom

  10. SEM- Pollen grain-Tomato

  11. Diversity Insects

  12. Bird specimens- Echo parakeet

  13. Natural structures- nests

  14. Palaeontology- Mineralogy

  15. Library, Art + Archives

  16. Complex Conservation ProjectsNatural History Museum, London

  17. Natural Materials • Natural History Museum holds around 70 million specimens • Natural origin or artefacts derived from a natural origin

  18. Challenges • Collections support the research of the museum • Any interventive process therefore will reduce or change the value of the object • Collections are held in an environment that reduces rates of deterioration and maximize data • Object • Frozen Collections • Digital Collections • Specialist Control • Standards Review

  19. Ethics • Preventive Approach • Object as Data • DNA • Ore generation • Meteorite • Proteins • Pigments • Specimen Status

  20. Lace and Links • Natural Materials • Linen (flax plant, Linum usitatissimum), Silk (protein fibre) , Cotton (bolls - Gossypium barbadense • Metals, human hair, natural history materials • Hold samples of original materials • Role as a research collection • Museum holds its collections as a research archive • Conservations role is to preserve data

  21. Complexity • Physical structures • Chemical Data • DNA • Proteins • Glass, Wax • Collagen • Keratin • Chitin • Hydroxyapatite • Cellulose • Mineralogical • Composite minerals

  22. Complex Structures • Complex Structure • Heavily restored • Value • Morphology • ADNA

  23. Imaging • Digitization and analysis • Macro level • Digital photography • Surface Scanning • Computer Aided Tomography (CT) • Non-invasive analysis • Raman • EDX

  24. Analysis in Conservation • Papyrus • oxidation and efflorescence • Preservation and access

  25. Composition, Imaging and analysisConservation • Reduced Oxygen Environments • Analysis of plastics • Design of enclosures • Assessment of monitors • Effectiveness • Use

  26. Imaging in Conservation • Blaschka Glass Models • Lay over conservation documentation • Structural Information • Conservation • Structural • Analysis • Reduced invasive conservation

  27. Non-invasive investigation and reproduction • Stereo lithography • CAT Scanning and 3D Laser Scanning • Raman Spectroscopy/Multi Spectral imaging • Specialist Sampling • Maintenance of Electronic Data • Micro-sampling

  28. Reducing invasive treatments • Laser Cleaning • Dual Wavelength • Changing the way we treat specimens

  29. Conservation Research • Non-invasive Conservation • Reduced invasive treatments • Imaging • Forensic Conservation • Analysis • Design • Aid in preservation at scenes of crime • Sampling • Ensure data for ID accessible • DNA • Geneaology

  30. Changing Methodologies • Improve techniques for preservation • Improve knowledge of environmental preservation • Improving data preservation • Accessibility • Object • Data

  31. Overview • Research Orientation • Non-invasive analysis • Non-invasive preservtion • Materials analysis • Improved techniques in data (specimen) management • Improved access • Imaging • Analysis • (digital) replication • Environmental standards

  32. Thanks • Liesa Stertz • Richie Abel • Felicity bolton • Lorraine Cornish

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