Touching Things

Whenever we walk around museums and galleries surrounded by unique pieces of art and historical archaeological artefacts, several things run through our minds.  We think about how things so old can survive for so long, how humans can create such beauty and genius, how culture and history can last through these objects—and how badly we just want to touch them all.  We want to grab pretty much everything we see in museums and just feel them.  How heavy are those Japanese printing blocks?  How smooth is that Roman marble statue?  How cool would it be to hold that skull?

            It is this deep longing to disregard every “Do not touch” sign that has led us to study conservation.  Cardiff University’s two year MSc in Conservation Practice lets us get up close and personal with the physical history and culture of the world.  Communities have a connection with their material culture that is emotional, educational, and preserves heritage.  As conservators, we work with this material culture from museums and collections making sure that they are stable and accurately maintained.  We study the objects, research treatments, we run tests on what is affecting the object, and generally take care of them.  We get to touch them allllllll over.

            This blog is going to show all of you the challenges, hilarities, and education that we go through as conservators.  Old stuff, art, science, and museums are all really cool—and we’ll bring it all together for you!

Here we are! Sam and Tanya!