Nrflk Museums and Archaelgy Service Cnservatin and Cllectins Care Plicy Apprved by Senir Management Team, 18 September 2007 1 The purpse f the Cnservatin and Cllectins Care Plicy T preserve cllectins and buildings in the care f NMAS T maximise the safe use and access t cllectins, making cst-effective and sustainable use f resurces T supprt the service plan f the NMAS T prmte the cnservatin ethic and teach the principles and methds f cnservatin As the lead member f the eastern regin hub (within the Renaissance in the Regins prgramme) the NMAS has a rle as an exemplar and advisr n cnservatin matters thrughut the regin. 2 Principles f cnservatin and cllectins care The plicy cvers all activities that are designed t preserve the cultural assets f NMAS and its cnstituent lcal authrities, including preventive measures as well as interventive/remedial cnservatin. The plicy aims t maximise intellectual access t cllectins by sharing understanding f their physical nature and needs. It aims t present cllectins in the best pssible cnditin. The plicy aims t prmte physical access t and use f cllectins, while minimising risks t the bjects and t users. The plicy aims t make sustainable use f resurces in lcal/reginal/glbal cntexts. The plicy applies t all NMAS cllectins and bjects in NMAS care (e.g. lan exhibitins). The standard f care may vary accrding t significance; rarity/ replaceability; fragility, access demand fr individual items and cllectins and wner requirements fr items n lan.
Nrflk Museums and Archaelgy Service The plicy relates t all staff f the NMAS The plicy acknwledges that the NMAS has a reginal rle as the lead member f the Renaissance Eastern Regin Hub. 3 Apprach t cnservatin and cllectin care The preservatin f NMAS cultural assets will be ptimised by assessment and reductin f risks t them, with pririties decided in the light f their needs and significance. NMAS will aim t meet apprpriate published standards and benchmarks in cllectins care. NMAS will dcument all activities cvered by the plicy t the standards utlined in Spectrum, making sure that all cnservatin infrmatin is accessible via the bject number, and is up-t-date, with the name f the persn wh perfrmed the wrk, the rganisatin t which they belng and the date n which it tk place. NMAS will emply qualified and experienced staff t implement the plicy. NMAS will seek t btain apprpriate specialist advice, wrking with cntractrs where necessary, under the directin f the cnservatin manager(s). The cllectins manager and cnservatin manager(s) will agree an annual actin plan and will c-rdinate and be respnsible fr the delivery f the plan. Where NMAS cncludes that it is unable t prvide adequate care r accmmdatin, r if better care f and/r access t cllectins can be prvided by ther rganisatins ratinalisatin will be cnsidered using the Museums Assciatin s Dispsals Tlkit in rder t fllw best practice. NMAS will seek t benefit frm clse partnership with the Nrflk Recrd Office in the care f archives and ther paper-based cllectins. Prjects invlving cllectins shuld always benefit frm the input f the cnservatin manager and larger prjects shuld have a cnservatr n the prject team. 4 Buildings and envirnments NMAS will seek t ensure that all cllectins are hused in buildings that meet agreed minimum standards f cnstructin and cnditin. NMAS recgnises that the maintenance f a building s fabric and services is fundamental t the preservatin f bth buildings and cllectins. Wrking with NPS
Nrflk Museums and Archaelgy Service Prperty Services and ther partners NMAS will seek t secure adequate funding and prmte gd practice in these areas. As part f the cllectins care plan the internal envirnment f buildings will be mnitred, as an aid t achieving the cnditins that prmte the cnservatin f cllectins. Where cllectins are stred r displayed we aim fr cntinuus mnitring, e.g. with electrnic systems such as Tinytags and Hanwell. As a minimum, the nrmal climatic characteristics f buildings will be understd thrugh recrding ver suitable perids f time. Frm time t time instruments will be deplyed in particular areas where better mnitring is required. Cntrl f the internal envirnment f buildings, whether actively (e.g. by heating, cling, humidificatin, de-humidificatin, mechanical ventilatin and lighting) r passively (e.g. thrugh slar cntrls, natural ventilatin and natural lighting) are vital t the preservatin f the cntents. Cnservatin advice will be sught whenever changes are planned. Fr reasns f ecnmy and sustainability NMAS recmmends passive cntrls ver mechanical cntrls wherever feasible. Cleaning, husekeeping and pest management are imprtant t the preservatin f cllectins. NMAS will establish and maintain prgrammes that shuld aim fr best practice and use standards such as Benchmarks in Cllectins Care. Objects that may be infested must be quarantined when they enter NMAS premises. NMAS will cnsult the cllectins manager and head f cnservatin at an early stage when planning building develpments, repair prgrammes and changes f use s as t ensure cst-effective and sustainable measures are taken fr the benefit f cllectins. 5 Displays, exhibitins and lans NMAS will ensure that lenders cnservatin requirements can be met befre agreeing t brrw bjects. A risk assessment will be made befre the NMAS agrees t lend bjects and if necessary the advice f a cnservatr will be sught. A cnditin reprt will be made befre the NMAS lends an bject. Objects brrwed and laned by NMAS will be cnditin checked n arrival and departure. The cnservatin team will cntribute t the selectin f bjects fr new displays and temprary exhibitins by assessing their cnditin and advising n wrk needed.
Nrflk Museums and Archaelgy Service The cnservatin team will cntribute t the selectin f furniture, materials, munting and presentatin aids used in prductin f new displays and exhibitins, having reference t current best practice. The cnservatin manager will cmmissin any necessary remedial treatment f individual bjects t be put n display. When new displays and exhibitins are planned, cnservatin implicatins will be cnsidered at an early stage. Recrds will be kept f the lan and exhibitin prcesses in accrdance with Spectrum and a reference t the lan r exhibitin shuld be added t the bject s recrd. 6 Cllectins and individual bjects All prpsed acquisitins will be assessed befre acquisitin and if there are cst implicatins f cnservatin and lng-term care the cnservatin manager must be cnsulted. The cnservatin team will cntribute t the selectin f furniture, materials, munts, packaging and presentatin aids used in cllectins stres, having reference t current best practice. The NMAS will recrd apprpriate access level fr bjects using agreed practice. These recrds will be used as a basis fr selectin f handling cllectins. The cnservatin team will prvide further advice and practical help with packaging and care f bjects in handling cllectins. The NMAS will seek t recrd the cnditin f cllectins, accrding t their nature and significance, starting with cllectins level recrds, and aims t update recrds at intervals f nt mre than seven years. 7 Remedial cnservatin treatments Objects will be selected fr treatment in cnsultatin with all relevant parties: prject team; wner museum; exhibitin team; specialist curatr. Criteria will include bject cnditin as well as display need. Only trained cnservatrs will carry ut remedial treatment. Where wrk is cntracted ut cnservatrs accredited by the Institute f Cnservatin (ICON) will nrmally be selected. Treatments may be carried ut in NMAS premises by less experienced cnservatrs under the supervisin f the NMAS in-huse team.
Nrflk Museums and Archaelgy Service Vlunteers may be emplyed in basic bject cleaning and then always under the supervisin f a suitably qualified curatr r cnservatr. Anything mre than this shuld nt be attempted unless specifically authrised and supervised by a cnservatr. 8 Emergency planning and respnse The cnservatin team will cntribute t the cntent f the emergency plan fr each museum. The cnservatin manager must be ntified immediately f any incident invlving cllectins. All respnse teams t include at least ne cnservatr, wh will supervise the handling and care f cllectins in the aftermath f an emergency. 9 Training/learning/disseminatin As part f their inductin, all NMAS staff shuld be made aware f the issues arund handling bjects and wrking within a museum envirnment. Thse wh have direct cntact with cllectins will receive basic training in bject handling. NMAS cnservatin team will prvide training in cnservatin and cllectins care apprpriate t the needs f all staff, trainees and vlunteers, using external prviders where apprpriate. Specialist trained staff and cntractrs will be used t handle and transprt large, heavy and/r fragile bjects. NMAS cnservatin team will share expertise and infrmatin as widely as pssible with diverse grups f learners and in respnse t requests frm individuals and institutins. 10 Staffing levels and budgets NMAS will review the service plan in rder t balance the available resurces f the cllectins care team against the needs f the cllectins. The Cnservatin Manager maintains a list f external prviders apprved and maintained under FIMS, under cnstant review.
Nrflk Museums and Archaelgy Service The in-huse cnservatin team shuld determine the range and type f wrk dne n cllectins by vlunteers and trainees. The in-huse team must apprve the persn wh supervises vlunteers that wrk n cllectins. Cnservatin csts generated by capital prjects shuld be identified and either paid fr ut f prject funds r recgnised as part f NMAS match funding. NMAS will seek external funding fr specific cnservatin prjects agreed by the Senir Management Team. When acquiring large cllectins, NMAS will seek endwments fr their husing, care and cnservatin. The abve plicy will be implemented in the light f a review f cnservatin services 2007-08. This plicy is due fr review nt later than September 2012. MRW, CP, M-YL