David Thickett, Senior Conservation Scientist of English Heritage, talks through the process of purchasing and maintaining a showcase that will work for you and your Museum.
Kindly hosted by: The Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum
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1. Introduction to Showcases
Learn more about the agents of deterioration https://www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/agents-deterioration.html
Link to the AIC Conservation Wiki page with Exhibition Design Guidelines https://www.conservation-wiki.com/wiki/Exhibit_Design_Phase
2. Buying a Showcase
For more information on choosing a display case https://www.museumsgalleriesscotland.org.uk/advice/collections/choosing-new-display-cases/
Learn more about the Government Indemnity Scheme https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/protecting-cultural-objects/government-indemnity-scheme#section-1
Learn more about some museum display case manufacturers
- Click Netherfield http://www.clicknetherfield.com/
- Armour Systems https://www.armour-systems.com/
- Case[werks] https://www.casewerks.com/#curate-conserve-communicate
- Show Guard http://www.showguard.co.uk/
3. Controlling the Environment
Learn more about temperature and relative humidity requirements of different materials https://www.museumsgalleriesscotland.org.uk/advice/collections/temperature-and-humidity-in-museums/
More information about using sorbents in showcases
Silica Gel: Passive Control of Relative Humidity – Technical Bulletin 33
Jean Tétreault and Paul Bégin
https://www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/conservation-preservation-publications/technical-bulletins/silica-gel-relative-humidity.htmlLearn more about lighting in museums and art galleries from this link from the Collections Trust Conservation and lighting guidance from the Museums Galleries Scotland
https://collectionstrust.org.uk/resource/conservation-and-lighting-guidance/Resources from the Collections Trust for control and monitoring of light
https://collectionstrust.org.uk/collections-management/collections-care-and-conservation/monitoring-and-controlling-environment/More information on Air Exchange Rates
DAVID THICKETT, PHILLIP FLETCHER, ANDREW CALVER AND SARAH LAMBARTH. THE EFFECT OF AIR TIGHTNESS ON RH BUFFERING AND CONTROL English Heritage.
https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/siteassets/home/learn/conservation/collections-advice–guidance/musmicshowcasepaper.pdfSimple methods to measure air exchange rates and detect leaks in display and storage enclosures Andrew Calver and Andy Holbrook ,David Thickett and Steven Weintraub. PUBLISHED IN THE 14TH TRIENNIAL MEETING THE HAGUE PREPRINTS ICOM COMMITTEE FOR CONSERVATION, 2005
https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/siteassets/home/learn/conservation/collections-advice–guidance/icom14aer.pdf
4. Case Materials
Learn more about the Oddy test and testing materials for display https://research.britishmuseum.org/pdf/OP_111%20selection_of_materials_for_the_storage_or_display_of_museum_objects.pdf
These databases list Oddy test results for many common display materials
5. Case Studies
What are VOCs?
VOCs are Volatile Organic Compounds released by materials such as wood and plastics. These compounds damage objects especially metals and can lead to visible damage on object surfaces.
More information:
British Museum Occasional Paper Number 111 Selection of Materials for the Storage or Display of Museum Objects. D. Thickett and L.R. Lee
https://research.britishmuseum.org/pdf/OP_111%20selection_of_materials_for_the_storage_or_display_of_museum_objects.pdf