Provisional Programme
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Session Summary
Workshops and Tours
Workshops and tours offered for the afternoon of Friday 9th September.
Workshop 1 - 3D Colour Object Recording for Museum Collections This workshop will give participants the opportunity to experience state of the art colour laser scanning and 3D imaging systems working at both individual object and room scales. A brief introduction describing the underlying imaging science behind three complimentary systems with examples of applications will be followed by a series of small group demonstrations. An example of a prototype interactive digital exhibit from the Petrie Museum will also be demonstrated to show what can be developed from a growing library of 3D colour object models. The workshop will complete with a short discussion can exchange ideas and network.
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Workshop 2 - Laser cleaning of organic objects and natural history specimens This workshop will give participants a practical introduction to using lasers to clean natural history specimens, leather and linen, and to discuss the best ways to optimize their set-up. Each participant will have the opportunity to work with the laser on samples and assessment of laser cleaning using analytical instruments. The workshop will conclude with a review of the long-term effects of lasers on laser-cleaned materials. For more information download the PDF below:
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Tour 1 - The British Museum: Scientific Dept. The British Museum’s Research Laboratory and conservation facilities are amongst the longest established and largest in the world, with the research laboratory founded in 1920. This tour will offer the opportunity to visit the current laboratories where research is carried out to develop and assess new conservation approaches, including laser cleaning, and to undertake analytical study of materials and technology. The facilities are designed to allow work to be conducted on the diverse range of materials represented within the collection. The visit will provide an opportunity to meet some of the Museum’s scientists and hear about recent work.
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Tour 2 - The British Museum: Hirayama Studio A visit to the Hirayama Studio will give delegates an opportunity to see a studio specifically dedicated to the treatment of East Asian paintings. Traditional methods and materials are used for the conservation and remounting of Japanese and Chinese paintings. Tools, paper and silks are bought in China and Japan, and fresh paste (nori) is regularly made from Japanese gluten-free wheat starch. On aging for ten years, this paste changes into a very flexible adhesive (furonori) used for scroll mounting. This following of tradition is also illustrated by the furniture and fittings of the studio with a thick reed matting (tatami) floor, drying boards (karibari), low-level Japanese benches and red lacquered tables from China. Active collaboration with colleagues both in China and Japan helps to maintain these traditional approaches.
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Tour 3 - The British Museum: Stone Conservation Studio Of special interest to delegates will be the laser room in the Stone conservation studio where a Q-switched, Nd:YAG, dual wavelength (1064nm & 532nm) laser is used for cleaning selected stone objects. Depending on the work programme, a visitor may see a larger than life-size, marble, Roman statue being dismantled and reconstructed for display, a delicate Indian sculpture being cleaned before going on loan or a fragile limestone object being consolidated. In addition to conserving the stone collections of the Museum, the studio treats wall-paintings and mosaics.For more information download the PDF below:
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Tour 4 - The British Museum: Ceramics, Glass and Metals Conservation Studio Conservators in this studio work on objects from across the Museum’s extensive collections. Greek vases, Chinese porcelain, Anglo-Saxon glass, archaeological ceramics and unfired clay cuneiform tablets may all feature in the work of the studio. The ‘metals’ team treat both archaeological and historical metalwork. From gold to rusting ironwork may be seen on the studio benches. A notable activity in the studio is the conservation of coin hoards and other objects designated as treasure under the Treasure Act (UK), in advance of their valuation. There will be an opportunity to view laser scans of the extraction of fragments of a Roman, silver helmet from a soil block.For more information download the PDF below:
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