Conservation and Collections Management

Conservation and Collections Management is an integral part of the Museum’s stated purpose to hold its collections in trust for future generations. Members of the department support the Museum’s goals through development of conservation treatments, study of materials and techniques, and scholarly research. These activities not only further scholarly understanding, but also contribute to public appreciation of the collections. View the MFA's conservation playlist on YouTube and follow @mfaconservation on Instagram.

The department promotes the long-term preservation of the works of art in its care through six conservation disciplines, an analytical facility, and a collections management division responsible for safe exhibition, storage, and transport. Following internationally established standards to maintain the aesthetic and physical integrity of works of art, staff members strive for the highest quality in their work and documentation.

Please direct inquiries about conservation and collections care and any questions relating to the care of privately owned artworks to conservation@mfa.org. (For information on borrowing collection objects from the Museum, please see Loan Request Procedures.)

A New Conservation Center

A new state-of-the-art Conservation Center is open at the Museum. With 22,000 square feet of space and six laboratories, the Center features advanced technology, enhances opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration and training, and establishes the Robert and Carol Henderson Conservation Learning Center, welcoming visitors to learn more about the care of our collections through encounters with works of art.

Featured Conservation Projects

Tibetan Tara Paintings

Remounting of sixteenth-century Himalayan paintings on cotton

Japanese Buddhist Sculptures

Conservation of seven polychrome wooden sculptures from the ninth to twelfth centuries

Judaica Papercut

Treatment of a work made of cut-out paper from the nineteenth century

Auloi of Meroë

Preservation of a group of ancient musical instruments from northern Sudan

Conservator Favorites

Lion Rampant by Sam Katz

Treatment of a gilded wooden lion from a Torah ark

Poster by Jules Chéret

Conservation of a large color lithograph

Resources

CAMEO

Conservation and Art Materials Encyclopedia Online

The Daguerreotype Research Portal

Condition monitoring of daguerreotypes at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, George Eastman House, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Giza Archives

Comprehensive resource for research on Giza, including photographs and other documentation from the original Harvard University–Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition (1904–1947), more recent MFA fieldwork, and other expeditions, museums, and universities around the world

Conservation Disciplines

The department of Conservation and Collections Management was organized into its present configuration in July 2001. Before that time, many of the labs and studios had long and distinguished histories, often associated with specific curatorial departments. Conservation and Collections Management now comprises the following disciplines:

• Asian Conservation Studio
• Furniture and Frame Conservation Laboratory
• Objects Conservation Laboratory
• Rose-Marie and Eijk van Otterloo Paintings Conservation Studio
• Virginia Herrick Deknatel Paper Conservation Laboratory
• Gabriella and Leo Beranek Textile Conservation Laboratory
• Scientific Research Laboratory
• Collections Management

Conservators, research scientists, and collections care staff work closely to ensure the protection of works of art while on display, in storage, and in transit. While preparation of objects for exhibition and loan make up a large portion of the department’s activities, the divisions are also responsible for examining the condition of all objects entering or re-entering the Museum and for providing an assessment, including a determination of authenticity, of all works being considered for acquisition through purchase or gift.

Using a wide range of analytical tools, the technical aspects of artworks are explored so that conservators can undertake appropriate treatments and staff may ensure environmental requirements for safe storage, handling, and installation are met. Examinations and treatments are extensively recorded in the Museum’s collections database, and this documentation, rich in both written reports and photography, proves a crucial tool that allows the department to monitor the care and preservation of the collections over time.

Dissemination of research findings through publications and lectures is another priority of the department. In an effort to share and broaden the understanding of conservation issues, staff members frequently offer tours of the Museum’s conservation facilities, contribute to professional conferences, and give presentations at seminars and universities.

Teaching is also an important part of the department’s commitment to the development of the profession, and the conservation divisions host a number of volunteers, trainees, and interns each year. Learn more about this program.