About environmental control

Light, temperature and humidity

A major part of the conservator’s job is preventive conservation. Adjusting the environmental conditions and checking them to prevent damage to the collections.

The conservator must check light levels to ensure that colours do not fade and check the temperature & humidity to ensure there is no mould growth and objects do not crack.

You may spot environmental monitors (displaying temperature & humidity), humidifiers (in the Art Gallery) and U.V. filters (above some of the fluorescent lights) on your visit to the museum, these help to maintain the environment at the correct conditions for the objects displayed.

Pest and vermin control

Pest surveys must be carried out on a regular basis to check for insect pests such as Clothes Moth, Woodworm & Museum Beetle. A pest survey involves looking in every location for any dead insects or damage that may have been caused by them.

Other creatures such as Mice, Rats, Bats, Birds and Squirrels can also cause damage to museum collections by nibbling & nesting in the stores, regular pest surveys should pick up any evidence of these larger pests as well.

On finding pests in the collection the conservator can treat the affected objects and return them to display as quickly as possible. The most common method for treating insect infestation is to seal the damaged objects in a plastic bag and freeze for a few days.