About CU Conservation

Alumna Spotlight: Meredith Sweeney

Posted on 17 March 2023 by Estelle Girard

More often than not, we hear that the heritage sector is always having budget cuts. Therefore, some conservation students are getting anxious about getting jobs in the future. Getting their […]

Basic Tear Repair on Paper

Posted on 29 January 2023 by Estelle Girard

This post is about basic repair for tears in paper. Many tears in paper can easily be repaired by a simple process if you have the right equipment. This guide […]

Documentation – why is it so important to conservators?

Posted on 20 January 2023 by Leonie McKenzie

I know, I know, I know, paperwork, we’ve all done it at some point, we’ve all been drilled on the importance of paperwork. But in this blog post I am […]

Conserving Viking Archaeology Part 2: Treating the ‘Special Finds’ from the Site of the Great Army Encampment at St Wystan’s Church, Repton

Posted on 11 January 2023 by Sorcha Riby

In 865, The Great Army, a 3000-strong pan-Viking force, arrived on the Kent coast. According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, the force reached Repton, Derbyshire in 874, and established a long-term […]

Conserving Viking Archaeology Part 1: The Batch Treatment of Iron Finds from the Site of the Great Army Encampment at St Wystan’s Church, Repton

Posted on 4 January 2023 by Sorcha Riby

In 865, The Great Army, a 3000-strong pan-Viking force, arrived on the Kent coast. According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, the force reached Repton, Derbyshire in 874, and established a long-term […]

Paraloid B72 is not the only adhesive or how many adhesive puns can I use before it gets tacky?

Posted on 18 November 2022 by Tessa Corton

    Paraloid B72. Or Acryloid B72, if you’re American, or even ethyl methacrylate and methacrylate if you’re feeling fancy (Preservation Equipment Ltd, 2021). By whatever name, you’re bound to […]

Welcome to a new year in the CUConservation labs: Handy blog posts to read

Posted on 3 October 2022 by Courtney Lyons

Welcome to a new academic year in the CU Conservation labs!! If you are a new student looking for what to expect in the lab, with object treatments or you […]

In Defence of Collections Part 1: An Introduction to the Collections Debate

Posted on 8 June 2022 by Sorcha Riby

Concerns relating to the colonial motivations and attitudes behind museum collections have caused many industry professionals, especially those based in the West, to question whether collections are, and if they […]

In Defence of Collections Part 6: The Role of Museum Collections- A Summary

Posted on 8 June 2022 by Sorcha Riby

The museums sector is committed to education, a commitment we saw renewed at ICOM. Commitment to education means a commitment to people and society, and therefore also to collections. The […]

In Defence of Collections Part 5: Collections- The Colonial Issue

Posted on 8 June 2022 by Sorcha Riby

Recent anxieties around colonial collections and the need to confront their social legacy is the main force behind challenges to collections’ centrality to museums. Sharon Heal, director of the Museums […]