Conservation Learning Series
How to document Collections
Gain an understanding of how to use best-practice collections record keeping procedures to document your collection items.
- Delivery mode: Online and one live group zoom session
- Includes: 3 learning modules
- Duration: 2 hours and 50 minutes
- Key dates for 2024: Enrolment closes 31 July 2024. Enroled students must complete the self-paced online component before 7 August 2024.
What you will learn
Gain contemporary skills and knowledge from leading conservators.
This short course is ideal for people working with collections – including museums, galleries, keeping places, historic societies, community and private collections – seeking an understanding of best-practice conservation principles.
Professional conservators will take you through examples of how to examine and document a range of items and suggest practical ways you can improve your collection record keeping.
This series is delivered by the Grimwade Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation, drawing upon the Centre's world-leading research, teaching and professional industry expertise. It is designed to provide an understanding of applied collection documentation techniques, and an opportunity to discuss your needs directly with a professional conservator through an online group session.
Introduction to conservation
The artwork and objects in our collections are not simply possessions. They embody our cultural identity and can be preserved for future generations through careful conservation. Conservators are trained in specialised techniques to slow and even reverse damage or deterioration. Discover how conservators work to preserve objects into the future.
Preview the video trailer.
Safe object handling
Objects are most vulnerable to damage when they are being moved. Understanding the principles of safe handling will reduce the chance of accidents happening. To safely handle objects and artworks, it is important to carefully follow a few basic principles.
Preview the video trailer.
Record keeping and documentation
Good documentation and record keeping allow us to better understand an object and help researchers discover more information about your collection.
Records can tell us many things. They can help identify people featured in an old photograph, the materials used by an artist, or even the condition of an object when it was purchased.
Preview the video trailer.
Resources
Reading resources are provided to supplement the online experience.
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Who you will learn from
Learn from skilled academic and professional conservation experts who will share invaluable knowledge you can apply immediately.
Vanessa Kowalski
Conservation specialist
Vanessa is a senior paintings conservator. She has specialist experience in authentication and documentation, collections care, conservation, and community learning and engagement.
Peter Mitchelson
Conservation specialist
Peter is a paper and book conservator with specialist experience in academic teaching, collection care, and community learning.
Marica Mucic
Conservation specialist
Marica is an object conservator with professional experience in record keeping and documentation, collections care, storage, and conservation best-practice.
Jordi Casasayas
Technical specialist
Jordi is a storage and frame conservation specialist with over 18 years experience in best-practice storage solutions, object transportation, frame construction and conservation.
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Workload
This course is available online and includes 1 hour and 50 minutes of independent learning and a one-hour live group zoom with a conservation professional.
Your total time commitment is 2 hours and 50 minutes, which includes:
- 50 minutes of guided online learning
- 1 hour of live online learning with a professional conservator
- 1 hour of reading
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Digital certificate
Once you've successfully completed this course, you will be awarded a Certificate of Completion.
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More from this series
Take multiple short courses to deepen your knowledge on collection care.
Disaster preparedness for collections
This series is delivered by the Grimwade Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation, drawing upon the Centre's world-leading research, teaching and professional industry expertise. It is designed to provide an understanding of what disasters can impact collections and the active steps you can take to prevent them, and an opportunity to discuss your needs directly with a professional conservator through an online group session.
The Conservation Series includes:
- Disaster preparedness for collections
- Storing collections properly
- How to document collections
- Caring for your collection – the complete Conservation Series
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Pathways for further study
How to Document Collections can be taken as a stand-alone course or complemented with any other short course in our Conservation series to deepen your knowledge and skills.
This course does not offer a pathway – otherwise known as advanced standing – into the Masters of Cultural Materials Conservation. For more information on the entry requirements for the Masters of Cultural Materials Conservation can be found here.
To advance your knowledge in conservation, choose another short course from our Conservation Series.
The Conservation Series includes:
- Disaster preparedness for collections
- Storing collections properly
- How to document collections
- Caring for your collection – the complete Conservation Series
Contact us
Have a question about the Conservation Learning Series? Get in touch.
Contact us