Museum/Gallery Conservator Duties & Responsibilities
The role and function of a Museum/Gallery Conservator includes the following duties and responsibilities:
- Hosting laboratory or site tours for school groups and other visitors;
- Delivering talks and presentations to amateur and professional audiences;
- Using a range of instruments such as scalpels, cotton swabs, dental and carpentry tools, and solvents/adhesives;
- Organising the logistics of long-term projects and collaborating with other conservators in person and by email;
- Supervising volunteers, interns, junior conservation staff and students;
- Liaising with museum curators and other colleagues and sometimes helping to set up exhibitions;
- Advising other organisations on conservation issues;
- Accompanying objects in transit to other locations;
- Working out creative solutions to clean, support and repair sensitive objects;
- Examining artefacts, both visually and using scientific tools such as x-rays, infrared photography and microscopic analysis to determine the extent and causes of deterioration;
- Maintaining full conservation records by writing up notes on the object’s condition and any previous restoration work that has been done;
- Proposing and estimating the costs of treatments to halt decay and reveal the true nature of objects;
- Debating with colleagues to justify a proposed treatment regime;
- Monitoring and recording display and storage conditions with the aim of keeping objects in a stable condition;
- Producing a visual record of the object for identification purposes and to illustrate its condition;
- Recreating historically accurate finishes, such as mixing traditional paints from scratch;
- Developing and maintaining appropriate standards within the specialist area;
- Handling fragile or decayed objects found during work in the field and on archaeological excavations.
- Keeping up to date with the latest conservation techniques and practices, through research and training.
Note that this is not an exhaustive list of Museum/Gallery Conservator duties and responsibilities. Job functions for specific Museum/Gallery Conservator roles may vary, depending on the industry and type of employer.
