You can canvas the same museum year after year and look upon the same exhibits and find them in mint condition. Do you ever wonder why museum pieces never age or wither away? Museum pieces stay in tiptop shape due to the work of the museum conservator. This is a significant profession in the art world.
Museum conservators are responsible for the care and preservation of museum artifacts. They achieve this by using special techniques and processes to assess the condition of the artifact, identify evidence of deterioration, conduct conservation treatments, and implement strategies to prevent further damage.
An extensive and broad-based art education is essential for the museum conservator to carry out his or her job responsibilities. Conservators should have a healthy background in archaeology, art history, and anthropology. Art education is a practical resource that aids in research projects, identifying artistic and historic art methods used on an artifact as well as aiding in assessing the effectiveness of materials, fabrics, and procedures used during the conservation process.
A solid background in science is also required for this profession. General and organic chemistry in particular is useful to the museum conservator. Science helps to determine the chemical, biological, and physical factors that cause works of art to deteriorate. Also, science skills are useful to help develop a treatment plan to restore a damaged object to its previous or assumed appearance.
Conservators typically specialize in a particular material or group of objects. Some work only with paintings, textiles, books, photographs, and sculptures. There are others who deal only with artifacts from a particular group like natural science, archaeology, or architecture. Museum Conservators are not just limited to the museum environment. Those of this nature work in a variety of environments including heritage institutions, libraries, universities, government agencies, and private conservation enterprises.
The graduate education has become the more recognized route into this profession. Graduate degree programs generally require two to four years of study. Many graduate programs require the fulfillment of academic prerequisites, including courses in chemistry, the humanities, and studio art. Check with your intended university for specific requirement details.
In addition to coursework, candidates for graduate programs are strongly encouraged to have had some conservation experience. Internships, volunteer work, and apprenticeships are all considered appropriate professional experience. Involvement in supervised collection care projects such as collection assessments, re-housing, and exhibition design as well as examination and treatment of individual artifacts is encouraged.
Museum conservators keep museums, and other facilities, filled with precious artifacts for the world to enjoy. It is a coveted profession that only a small percentage of people can truly master. This profession is so unique that only three education institutions in the US offer graduate programs to all areas of art conservation. If you have a background in art and are considering a Master's degree, check and see if you qualify for this prestigious degree program, perhaps even through online college. Do your own research on the Internet to find out more information.
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