Conservation and restoration of glass objects

[1] It can involve many different people from various backgrounds to properly assess and treat an object, such as museum curators, conservators, scientists, and historians.

[2] Conservator-restorers can be found in museums, private for hire institutions, conservation associations, and government or state organizations.

One of the ways in which preventive-conservators address the care of material collections is through assessing risk and needs based on the chief agents of deterioration.

By considering these key factors as potential problems with their own needs, stakeholders can make strides in safeguarding assets such as glass objects.

[6] Fire is a means of deterioration that can impact glass objects ranging from a potentially minimal amount of damage to a total loss.

Problems with fire include burning, soot deposits, and melting, warping, discoloration, embrittlement, cracking, and even shattering.

Possible interventions to these consequences include creating and maintaining plans and that cover the installation of fire protection equipment and establishing procedures for emergency situations.

[6] Pests, such as microorganisms, insects, rodents, birds, and bats, are agents of deterioration not as often associated with the problems that occur with glass objects.

However, they can affect glass objects by proxy of other agents, like physical force, such as a bird that might fly into a stained-glass window, pollutants when a rodent that leaves a byproduct.

Since glass objects are generally fragile their susceptibility to vandalism might be preempted by a collections care plan that calls for them to be secured to a stable fixture.

In partnership with cultural heritage institutions across the country, they offer a Master's program in Glass and Ceramic Art and Science with an interdisciplinary approach to the coursework.

A five-year training program for aspiring conservators is offered which grants students with a Master's in Conservation-Restoration, with specialties in earthenware and glassware.