Feedback needed from conservators
I'm finishing up my MS Masters thesis (Policy and working collections) and one of the things I found was that there was a lot of fuzziness in what conservation and preservation mean. One of the things I'm including in the thesis is an attempt to clarify this terminology (which I suspect is hopeless, because every person and museum seems to have a different idea). Here's what I'm thinking:
Conservation - a term which covers any attempt to prevent the deterioration of an artifact but which may also refer to cleaning and preparation for exhibit.
Preservation - maintaining the artifact in stable condition with as little intervention as possible; no cleaning for aesthetic reasons, only to prevent deterioration.
Restoration - making whatever changes are needed to an artifact to have it represent a specific time in its active life. This may include little work or be extensive enough to require re-painting and replacement of parts with modern made ones.
Reconstruction -When an object no longer exists, either because it has never been completed or because it was destroyed, it may be reconstructed from old plans. It may include some original parts if any have survived.
Rehabilitation - taking steps needed to bring an artifact (often a ship or vessel) to usefulness.
Simulation is not included, since a simulation is a replication in some other medium.
Comments? Quibbles? Faint praise? Raging outrage? I'd be grateful for any feedback from anyone in the conservation world. I've already been slammed by one conservator who didn't like the way I originally used some terms, so I'm trying hard to do something that doesn't offend. Feel free to disagree/clarify/vent! Help!
Conservation - a term which covers any attempt to prevent the deterioration of an artifact but which may also refer to cleaning and preparation for exhibit.
Preservation - maintaining the artifact in stable condition with as little intervention as possible; no cleaning for aesthetic reasons, only to prevent deterioration.
Restoration - making whatever changes are needed to an artifact to have it represent a specific time in its active life. This may include little work or be extensive enough to require re-painting and replacement of parts with modern made ones.
Reconstruction -When an object no longer exists, either because it has never been completed or because it was destroyed, it may be reconstructed from old plans. It may include some original parts if any have survived.
Rehabilitation - taking steps needed to bring an artifact (often a ship or vessel) to usefulness.
Simulation is not included, since a simulation is a replication in some other medium.
Comments? Quibbles? Faint praise? Raging outrage? I'd be grateful for any feedback from anyone in the conservation world. I've already been slammed by one conservator who didn't like the way I originally used some terms, so I'm trying hard to do something that doesn't offend. Feel free to disagree/clarify/vent! Help!