Department Chair
Andrew D. Nicholls, Ph.D., Professor of History
Date of Award
5-2015
Access Control
Open Access
Degree Name
History, M.A.
Department
History and Social Studies Education Department
Advisor
Cynthia A. Conides, Ph.D., Associate Professor of History and Museum Studies
Department Home page
http://history.buffalostate.edu/
First Reader
Cynthia A. Conides, Ph.D., Associate Professor of History and Museum Studies
Second Reader
Nancy Weekly, M.A., Head of Collections & Charles Cary Rumsey Curator at Burchfield Penney Art Center
Abstract
This thesis examines the need for preventive conservation in museums. Preventive conservation is an effort aimed at reducing damage and deterioration to collections by improving the environment. Out of the 4.8 billion objects in the museum collections in the United States, many of the objects are in need of some attention. They are at high risk of being lost forever, leaving future generations without such collection to learn from and enjoy. This thesis studies five institutions in the Western New York area. It examines how their preventive conservation practices hold up to standards put forth by museum experts. There are four stages in the research model and they are as follows: (1) identifying threats to collections, (2) substantiating the risk, (3) identifying cost-efficient means of measuring the risk, and (4) developing methods to reduce or eliminate risk. Once a museum has implemented these four stages, the next step is rather simple: monitor and control the principal agents of destruction. By knowing which of these areas are in the most need of the greatest assistance, conservators can make recommendations to help institutions take better care of their collections.
Recommended Citation
Conn, Jennifer R., "The Ideal Museum vs. The Real Museum: How do Museums in Western New York Implement Preventive Conservation?" (2015). History Theses. 31.
https://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/history_theses/31
