13 Facts About Collections maintenance

Collection maintenance is an area of collections management that consists of the day-to-day hands on care of collections and cultural heritage.

Collections maintenance is part of the risk management field of collections management.

The professionals most involved with collections maintenance include collection managers, registrars, and archivists, depending on the size and scope of the institution.

Collections maintenance takes place in two primary areas of the museum: storage areas and display areas.

Collections maintenance affected by contaminants will show signs of disintegration, discoloration, or corrosion, with porous materials being the most susceptible.

Construction or Collections maintenance efforts are another common cause of particulate pollution.

Collections maintenance protects objects from fire damage with sprinkler systems, fire-proof or fire-resistant storage systems, and limiting other risks of fire throughout the facilities that could stem from electrical systems, combustible materials, and open flames.

Collections maintenance protects objects against all risks of water damage, and minimizes these risks throughout the facilities .

Collections maintenance managers find and minimize sources of leaks, move objects away from leak sources and from direct contact with the floor, and install and maintain water alarms.

Risks related to water that collections maintenance must be cautious of include locations that experience extreme weather conditions, faulty pipe or sprinkler systems, and the improper use of water during cleaning.

Collections maintenance should be stored in an environment that is best suited to the materials that can be found in the collections and one that ensures the preservation of the collections.

Collections maintenance should be housed and stored in an organized manner.

Collections maintenance includes the daily care of collections, which is further enhanced by the principles of prevention and preservation.