Preventive conservation

What is this ?

Preventive conservation is an indirect action that aims to protect works of art before they deteriorate.
It consists of creating the most stable and suitable storage conditions possible in order to delay degradation and prevent the appearance of new damage.

It concerns both buildings (architecture) and exhibition spaces (museography).
To achieve this, we implement environmental control (climate, light, pollution, etc.) and rely on a good knowledge of the materials that make up the work.

To ensure proper preservation, particular attention must be paid to several factors:

• Ambient temperature (avoid extreme temperatures and especially sudden variations).

• Relative humidity (too much or too little humidity can damage materials).

• Light and radiation (which can cause discoloration and weaken the materials).

• Pollutants (dust, gas, particles that can attack surfaces).

• Wood- boring insects , that is, those that feed on wood or organic materials (the furniture beetle, the silverfish, the booklice, the termite and the cockroach).

• Handling (any inappropriate contact or movement can create mechanical damage).

• Storage (poorly adapted storage, too tight or in a bad environment, promotes deterioration).