North American Graduate-level Education in Preventive Conservation

Abstract

Preventive conservation is a concept widely accepted by most disciplines involved in preservation of cultural property. It also has become a component in curricula of graduate training programs for museum and conservation professionals. Prevailing course content focuses on environment, storage and exhibits, understanding of materials in collections, handling and examination, program development, emergency management, collection and object condition documentation, and health and safety. Recommendations relevant to both museum studies and conservation programs to improve preventive conservation training include: regular and ongoing collaboration among training programs to develop syllabi, development of comprehensive texts, use of alumnae surveys to evaluate the efficacy of the training, and support for this training among all programs that prepare conservators and other future museum professionals. The evolution of the teaching of preventive conservation reflects a fundamental change in the philosophy of conservation throughout the museum community—from an esoteric specialty to a shared responsibility.