The difference between Conservation, restoration, and archival preservation
People tend to confuse these terms unintentionally. While they are not always interchangeable, they are important to understand. Especially before moving forward with services for your own important collection. Here is a quick breakdown of each:
✔️Conservation
Paper conservation project by Carrabba Conservation
Conservation is a specialized field that preserves an object in a way that retains its significance, integrity, context, aesthetic, visual appearance, and historical integrity. A conservator's goal is to treat an artifact so that it can be gently handled, safely stored, or displayed without further risk of damage. Any changes done by a conservator are carried out with the least possible intervention.
Monocurate is not a conservation business; however, Monocurate can assist with “light” conservation treatments such as paper mending, dry cleaning, and deacidification treatments, as we have professionally trained staff to provide these treatments to your valuable collection materials.
In Summary Conservators
Holds advanced degrees in Conservation
Focuses on the long-term preservation of an object
Advanced scientific treatments of reversible stabilization
Provides specialized cleaning or the removal of agents that cause damage
You can find a professional conservator via the Find a Conservator feature on the American Institute of Conservation’s website.
❌ Restoration
16th century wooden statue of St. George at the church of St. Michaels in Estella via Artsy
Restoration can mean using a different type of paint to repair a work of art. Or replacing missing features of a table with new materials that change the visual look of the table (oak legs over the original mahogany). Or replacing the original 18th-century cabinet pulls with more modern pulls that look similar but are historically inaccurate.
Responsible restoration will take steps that reflect minimal intervention endeavors. Even so, Monocurate does not recommend restoration work for most collections since it is not reversible. When choosing a restoration service, check credentials to ensure they have a background in conservation before moving forward with their services.
In Summary Restoration
Can lack accreditations and oversight; no formal program
Cleans and replaces permanent aspects of an object that is not reversible
Restores an object's original state, an assumed condition, or an earlier appearance with little regard for historical context
✔️Archival Preservation [Monocurate]
Preservation project by Monocurate
In archival preservation, archivists do not alter or change an object irredeemably. However, they duplicate unsafe/unstable materials (e.g., nitrate film, thermofax, fragile materials, etc.) to a more stable and usable format - think digitization. Archivists also provide safe housing (e.g., lignin and acid-free) for safe handling and storage. In addition, they provide pest control, safe storage environments, and disaster recovery assistance. Archivists also assist in research capacities and provide organization and description services to provide enhanced access to materials for your collection.
In Summary, Archivists
Holds advanced degrees in Library and Information Science
Minimizes the physical and chemical deterioration of records
Prevent the loss of informational content in its existing condition
Repairs material that maintains the original format
If you are ready to work with professional archivists, you are in the right spot! You can contact Monocurate for a free preliminary evaluation to see if our services are suited to your needs. If we can’t help, we will be happy to refer you to a trusted business that can!
