Mount-making for museum objects pdf free

Our bliss was so profound that we went on kissing, heedless of. Distributed, in situ microenvironments for the preservation of unstable archaeological metals using escal barrier film. Exhibit mounting variations for objects on paper national park. Often the display mounts in a museum will be made with the material which is most. Objects should also be protected from dust and dirt while in storage. Labelling and marking museum objects booklet these guidelines on the labelling and marking of museum objects were developed by the collections trust with the help of vivien chapman at the national conservation centre, national museums liverpool nml. Mountmaking for museum objects article in journal of the american institute for conservation 392. Permacor eflute corrugated board university products. Susceptible objects should not be subjected to creasing and folding or deformation by the placement of heavy objects directly on tip of them. The final section addresses the role of objects in the experience of the visitors, emphasizing how fruitful the history of museum objects can be in the study of the public engagement with science. The mount must secure objects that are displayed in the open to be reasonably safe from theft.

The everchanging nature of designing and constructing supports for an unending list of objects, serves to keep clemenko fascinated with the art of mount making. Barclay, june 1998, canadian conservation inst edition, spiralbound in english 2 spi edition. Displaying an object discreetly while protecting it for the duration of the exhibit is the purpose of a good mount. Caring for natural history collections is part of ccis preventive conservation guidelines for collections online resource. Materials and supplies that can protect your museum. Labelling and marking museum objects booklet collections. Mount making for sensitive artifacts is always challenging. Historical objects, originals art, valuable documents and oneofakind models often form the centerpiece of a museum collection. Mannequins, mounts and museums cost effective ways of displaying your collection where to begin 1. Using museum collections in exhibits national park. They may be required to create housing for objects going on exhibit or update documentation on the status of an object. They could be exhibited from a vehicle or they could move from museum to museum as guests.

Museums vary widely in size, style, and subject matter, creating a wide range of display needs. We used acid free blue board a corrugated cellulosic support and polyethylene foam, which unlike polyurethane foam, does not break down and create a powdery residue. How these artifacts are mounted and displayed are consequently a key consideration during the cms fabrication process. Although acrylic is often the preferred choice of material for mounting museum objects, the thickness of acrylic required to support a tiara was found to be obtrusive, and. A simple guide to labelling museum objects introduction each museum object is individually numbered to identify and distinguish it from all other objects in a collection. For this handson workshop, no previous mount making experience is necessary but familiarity with simple hand tools is encouraged.

Barclay, june 1998, canadian conservation inst edition, spiralbound in english 2 spi edition mountmaking for museum objects. Acid free, lignin free, and buffered with calcium carbonate. We provide the following services for collections, museums, and galleries. Mountmaking is the process we use to address issues of stability, support, and positioning, with artistry, engineering, and conservation knowledge. This section presents key aspects of managing the care of natural history specimens in heritage collections based on the principles of preventive conservation and risk management. Writing a number directly on an object is the most secure method of labelling. The exhibit mount is where the object comes into physical contact with the exhibit. I always focused on the object or the label or the overall feel of the exhibition. Department, and marcia anderson, museum collections. The powerhouse museum, part of the museum of applied arts and sciences also incorporating sydney observatory, the powerhouse discovery centre and the.

The user will bend the wires to custom fit their particular art object. These acid free boxes are available from museum supply vendors in a variety of sizes, widths and depths. Other responsibilities may include conducting tests, assessing the condition of an object and helping set up exhibits. A guide to the preventive care of archaeological collections. Measure the object and then cut a piece of acid free mount board exactly the same size. An especially delicate sea shell, for example pictured below, required a soft mount, which clemenko fabricated using small plastic tubing made of polyolefin. And indeed, at the turn of the twentyfirst century, more people are visiting museums than ever before. They collect and present weapons, uniforms, decorations, war technology and other objects. Object files are an effective way to organise information about your most significant objects. Mountmaking for museum objects june 1998 edition open. Commercial doublesided and archival tapes are not used in direct contact with museum objects, but they often can be used to adhere other surfaces within the mount. For more details on these issues, consult the cci resource mount making for museum objects barclay et al.

I have worked in the installation of several exhibitions in. Alongside, i run my own conservation atelier and i do mount making and installation of museum objects, from small to medium sized ones. There is nothing quite so distracting to a small mounted artifact than a crudely finished plexiglas base. Manitoba museum is accredited by imagine canada for excellence in nonprofit accountability, transparency and governance. Mounting artifacts in a museum exhibit november 15, 20 collections mike messina before i worked in the exhibits department of a museum, i had never even considered how objects and artifacts in museums were presented. What is considered museum quality for storage equipment, containers and materials. These armatures are carefully padded to prevent abrading to the objects, whilst keeping the aesthetic appearance.

Nov 15, 20 before i worked in the exhibits department of a museum, i had never even considered how objects and artifacts in museums were presented. The observers eye acknowledges the mount but does not concentrate on it. Public access was free from the outset, although initially it was necessary to apply. This reader brings together classic and up to date texts on the nature and definition of the object itself, the senses and embodied experience of objects. All the information relating to an object is filed and accessed using this unique number. Barclay, robert, bergeron, andre, and dignard, carole 1998 mountmaking for museum objects. Products used in preventive conservation technical bulletin. Free autocad drawings of the museum in plan and elevation view. The collections assistant pulls the objects from storage so the designer can start working on a layout. For this handson workshop, no previous mountmaking experience is necessary but familiarity with simple hand tools is encouraged. Exhibition display techniques 05 foam board labels and object mounts acid free foam boards also known as foamcore or conservation boards are very adaptable products that can be used to make both object and label mounts. Examine each object chosen for display to determine its current condition. Clemenko then examined each object, paying particular attention to its condition and fragility.

Stresses and strains in isolated areas can quickly become permanent and. How to make a simple object mount using foam board. Availability museums have a particular responsibility for making collections and. It never crossed my mind what went behind taking a delicate object and suspending inside of. Goodman collection and explain the mount making, conservation, and teamwork required to safely display these.

Examining objects page 41 graphic reporting on condition page 45. The company developed a generic mount style in metal that suited most objects in the exhibition. Museum objects provides a set of readings that together create a distinctive emphasis and perspective on the objects which lie at the heart of interpretive practice in museums, material culture studies and everyday life. They are the essential museum reference for the most important objects in the collection. Fragile objects, including all textiles, should be supported over a great an area as practical. A set of conservation guidelines for exhibitions resources. To mount photographs, use neutral ph 7, ligninfree mat boards and papers.

Displaying large objects indoors is a challenge, so some museums exhibited them outdoors. Museum at bethel woods, bethel, ny museum of the shenandoah valley, winchester, va national civil war museum, harrisburg pa national cowboy and western heritage museum, oklahoma city, ok national gallery of art, washington d. A conservation technician may have a broad range of responsibilities. Statement that donor institution owns the object and has authority to pass clear title. Tips and tools for digitizing a museum collection by regina l. It should be lignin free, because lignin will cause the paper to become very acidic. A good display mount is first functional, and then as unobtrusive as possible. They serve a variety of objects collections, historic documents and photograph collections. Polyester batting spunbonded, knit, woven, and nonwoven fabrics remay, hollytex, mylar film, vivak 3. Object files are the starting point for significance assessment and just about any collection work. Defying gravity with magnetism gwen spicer mountmaking for.

Unlike a library, location, description and a unique number organize museum artifacts. In order to construct mounts, you need to be familiar with basic hand tools and how to use them. A poorly built mount can do far more damage to an object than any external force by improperly supporting the object s structure, and inexperience can lead to damage during fitting, installation or deinstallation. Those objects and materials, however, are subject to the quarantine and. Improper mounting techniques, uv light, changes in temperature and humidity and improper handling can all cause problems. Museums, can we stop letting objects control the narrative. Also a name for a parts of exhibitions of a museum that are sent to another museum. Mount making and installation victoria and albert museum. These boxes come with lids some attached, some loose.

Our museum quality mounts are constructed with conservator recommended materials using the latest tools and techniques to provide maximum protection and minimum stress for your art or artifact, while maintaining an aesthetic appearance with minimum visibility. First was a research librarian who serves as custodian of the museum objects and was in charge of planning and executing the moving process and. To mount photographs, use neutral ph 7, lignin free mat boards and papers. For a museum artifact collection to work there must be a unique number that joins the object to its paper record file and its. Mountmaking for museum objects ontario museum association. All mounts for artifacts that are going on display need to be well enough made that they are not ugly or obtrusive. Collection surveys and condition reporting collection surveys. Theres a form for that connecting to collections care.

They are made like the basic starting point of a custom armature. Also, mount construction should incorporate the proper materials. The materials used to rehouse the objects had to be inertthey should not react adversely with the object, degrade, or emit harmful chemicals. Adlib museum lite free collection catalogues for everyone adlib museum lite is a new software package that enables small museums and private collectors to record details of their collections in a straightforward yet professional way. Stock artifact display armatures are designed after armatures that are used in custom art mounting. They are light and easy to cut, and come in a variety of colours. Eflute is half the thickness of standard bflute with nearly the same strength. Physically isolate objects with safe fabric coverings, acid free.

These guidelines on the labelling and marking of museum objects were developed by the collections trust with the help of vivien chapman at the national conservation centre, national museums liverpool nml. Displaying them in the proper interpretive context, mounted, protected and preserved in cases designed for the unique rigors of public exposure, is capitol museum services specialty. This chapter outlines handling, packing, and shipping guidelines for safely moving museum objects. The longterm qualities or properties of most products vary, especially those composed of organic materials.

I currently work as a glass and ceramics conservator at the rijksmuseum van oudheden in leiden, the national museum of antiquities of the netherlands. Mannequins, mounts and museums cost effective ways of. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The mount blends into the object, allowing visitors to appreciate it without distraction. How many textile items do you have in your collection and how many are. Although acrylic is often the preferred choice of material for mounting museum objects, the thickness of acrylic required to support a tiara was found to be obtrusive, and its reflective, light channelling properties were distracting. When possible, use a reproduction to demonstrate the function of an object.

Mannequins, mounts and museums cost effective ways of displaying your collection where to begin. Artifact mount making a primary attraction that interpretive exhibits have for the public is the opportunity to experience artifacts displayed within the context of a larger story. Mountmaking for museum objects 2002 edition open library. Best of all, they can do so without any costs, because adlib museum lite is completely free.

Exhibit preparation making mounts the manitoba museum. Museums prefer a quality product that is also aesthetically pleasing and does not draw attention away from the object s being displayed. Polyethylene sheeting, ethafoam pool noodles, volara, bubble wrap, tyvek 2. The process of making discrete but secure mounts can. How many textile items do you have in your collection and how many are going to. We live in a museum age, writes steven conn in do museums still need objects. Avoid open display except in historic house museums and. Additionally, as a sculptor, i appreciate fine work, and have a strong interest in form and dimensionality, which allow me to display the objects to their best advantage. A mount maker is responsible for the creation of structures called object mounts used to provide unobtrusive physical support, stability, and security of objects while on display, in storage, or being transported to museums, art galleries, libraries, archives, botanical gardens or other cultural institutions. Mountmaking for museum objects request pdf researchgate.

Cci mount making for museum objects by robert barclay, andre bergeron and carole dignard provides specific information and useful advice on the mounting of museum objects. An interactive website designed to provide free printables, resources, tips and advice to substitute teachers. Vehicles, boats, industrial machinery and other objects that are too large or too heavy to store on pallet racking will need to be stored on the floor. Mountmaking for museum objects 2nd edition by robert l. As visitors move from the falk collections center through the visible storage space, they will learn how curators collect, catalog, and document objects for the museums collections. Museum exhibits come to life by the beautiful display of objects.

Barclay, andre bergeron, carole dignard, carl schlichting isbn. Request pdf on oct 1, 2001, robert barclay and others published mount making for museum objects find, read and cite all the research you need on. Allow enough time and resources to safely prepare, mount, install, or replicate exhibit objects. Plan and budget for safe handling, exhibit mount making, and. Stress is the force applied to an object whereas strain is the change in shape of the object. Topics covered include reasons for creating mounts, recommended stable materials, tips on choosing materials, the working properties of materials, and methods for measuring. National museum of the american indian washington, d. Use lignin free, buffered or alkalinereserve mounting materials ph 8 to 8.

Objects specialty group postprints objects specialty group. Providing quality mount making and installation services for museums and private collectors for more than thirty years. There are now over 17,500 accredited museums in the united states, averaging approximately 865 million visits a year, more than two million visits a day. For those objects that need to travel we provide tailor made antivibration packing cases which dramatically reduces the chance of breakages whilst in transit. The strength of permacor eflute corrugated board makes it useful for box making, dividers, shelf lining, etc. Acid free tissue paper is made out of cotton or linen rags, or highly purified wood fibre materials. Mount making mountmaking museum art object mounting. In this behindthescenes discussion, alicia van campen, museum technician, and mary wilcop, postgraduate associate in objects conservation, walk visitors through the exhibition ceremonial dress from southwest china. We are familiar with a full range of mount making practices, from pinning small delicate objects, to designing and fabricating large structural mounts.

Among the most breathtaking works on view are several wall sculptures formed by metal bottle tops, strung together by wire. Museums that have no specific strict place of exhibiting. Rigid, tough products are often padded where they come into contact with an object. Before the smithsonian national air and space museum was built, military missiles flanked an entrance to the arts and industries building in the 1960s. In the final step, the headdress is installed in its case at the museum. By following these guidelines, you can prevent damage to the objects in your museum collection. Storage for costume accessories canadian conservation. You can visit thisand many, many other incredible objectsat the new national museum of african american history and culture. Barrier materials, such as mylar, should separate objects from potential damage, such as painted surfaces. Constructivist learning theory the museum and the needs of people ceca international committee of museum educators conference. A safe and secure mount should support its object without causing damage, but also protect the object while on display.