American Association of Museums (AAM) - AAM
is the national membership organization of museum
professionals. Individual members span the range of museum occupations,
including directors, curators, registrars, educators, exhibit designers,
public relations officers, development officers, security managers,
trustees and volunteers. Every type of museum is represented including
art, history, science, military and maritime, and youth museums, as well
as aquariums, zoos, botanical gardens, arboretums, historic sites, and
science and technology centers.
American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC) - AIC
is the national membership organization of conservation professionals.
Its members include conservators, educators, scientists, students,
archivists, art historians, and other conservation enthusiasts in over
twenty countries around the world.
AIC Wiki
- A collaborative knowledge database drawn from a number of resources
created by the various AIC Specialty Groups and Committees. Several of
the Specialty Groups had "AIC Conservation Catalogs," compendia of
working knowledge on materials and techniques used to preserve and treat
works of art and historic artifacts. The series, begun in 1985 in print
format and still in active development, was intended to be updated on
an ongoing basis as techniques, technologies, and modes of practice
evolve. Placing this content on the wiki platform allows for
collaborative editing and broader access, ensuring that innovative
methods and materials are documented and widely disseminated to
practicing conservators and conservation scientists. Other groups have
documented their knowledge bases directly on this wiki platform. Each
section of the wiki may have a different organizational structure and
while there is an overall template for many entries, these have been
modified to meet the needs of each group.
Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) -
CCI supports the heritage community in preserving Canada's heritage
collections. The site provides free PDFs on the care of many cultural
items. They also offer a 3D tour that
takes you through a virtual home and lets you select certain objects
and family heirlooms to learn how to care for them. Another online
resource, CCI Notes
deal with topics of interest to those who care for cultural objects.
Intended for a broad audience, the Notes offer practical advice about
issues and questions related to the care, handling, and storage of
cultural objects.
English Heritage
- Officially known as the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission
for England, this is the UK's official advisory body for historic
environments, providing advice to government, local authorities and the
public, and overseeing the operation of over 400 historic properties.
Getty Conservation Institute (GCI) -
GCI works internationally to advance conservation practice in the
visual arts—broadly interpreted to include objects, collections,
architecture, and sites. The Institute serves the conservation community
through scientific research, education and training, model field
projects, and the dissemination of the results of both its own work and
the work of others in the field.
Heritage Preservation -
Heritage Preservation helps museums, libraries, and individuals with
the best preservation advice from professional conservators through our
series of Caring books. The Conservation Assessment Program helps small
and mid-sized museums get the advice of professional conservators for
their collections and historic buildings. The Heritage Health Index
survey is the first attempt to paint a national picture of the state of
collections in all kinds of institutions—museums, libraries, archives,
historical societies, and scientific organizations. Save Outdoor Sculpture! and Rescue Public Murals help communities discover and protect their local cultural icons.
Intermuseum Conservation Association (ICA) -
ICA is the oldest not-for-profit regional conservation center in the
United States, dedicated to the preservation of works of art and objects
of cultural significance. The ICA provides professional, high quality,
and cost-effective services to collecting institutions, corporations,
government agencies, and the general public.
International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) -
ICCROM is an intergovernmental organization (IGO) dedicated to the
conservation of cultural heritage. It exists to serve the international
community as represented by its Member States, which currently number
129.
International Council of Museums-Committee for Conservation (ICOM-CC) - ICOM-CC is the largest of the International Committees of ICOM (International
Council of Museums) with over 1800 members worldwide from every branch
of the museum and conservation profession. ICOM-CC aims to promote the
investigation, analysis and conservation of culturally and historically
significant works and to further the goals of the conservation
profession.
The Institute for Conservation (ICON) -
Icon's membership embraces the wider conservation community,
incorporating not only professional conservators in all disciplines, but
all others who share a commitment to improving understanding of and
access to our cultural heritage.
International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (IIC) -
IIC is an independent international organisation supported by
individual and institutional members. It serves as a forum for
communication among professionals with responsibility for the
preservation of cultural heritage. It advances knowledge, practice and
standards for the conservation of historic and artistic works through
its publications and conferences. It promotes professional excellence
and public awareness through its awards and scholarships.
International Network for the Conservation of Contemporary Art (INCCA) -INCCA
is a network of professionals connected to the conservation of modern
and contemporary art. Conservators, curators, scientists, registrars,
archivists, art historians and researchers are among its members.
Members allow access to each others unpublished information (artist
interviews, condition reports, installation instructions etc) through
the INCCA Database for Artists' Archives. The network's North American
branch, INCCA-NA, launched its own website in 2012.
Lunder Conservation Center -
Located at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Lunder Conservation
Center provides visitors with the unique opportunity to see
conservators at work in five different laboratories and studios. The
Center features floor-to-ceiling glass walls that allow the public to
view all aspects of conservation work— work that is traditionally done
behind the scenes at other museums and conservation centers. Interactive
kiosks and special displays make it easy for visitors to learn about
the importance of conservation and show how to take an active role in
caring for public art and monuments, as well as how to care for personal
treasures at home. Their site offers videos from their media wall and
interactive kiosks, and provides information on public programs and
outreach activities at the center.
National Archives Preservation
- Preservation Programs at the National Archives consist of two major
organizational units committed to the physical well being of Federal
records in the custody of the National Archives and Records
Administration: the Document Conservation Laboratory and the Special
Media Preservation Laboratory.
New England Conservation Association (NECA) -
The New England Conservation Association is a collegial group of
individuals from the New England region who are interested in all
aspects of art conservation. NECA hosts an annual series of interesting
and topical meetings where members can keep up-to-date on the latest
developments in conservation, enjoy refreshments with friends and
colleagues, and see behind the scenes in area labs and studios. Annual
workshops are organized to provide hands-on opportunities for
specialized interests with a rotating subject matter.
New York Regional Association for Conservation (NYRAC)
- NYRAC is a non-profit organization dedicated to the dissemination and
sharing of current research on the preservation of visual art and
artifacts. To this end, NYRAC organizes lectures and workshops for the
conservation community in the New York metropolitan area as well as
throughout the United States. Epiconservation is NYRAC's online forum for emerging conservation professionals.
Regional Alliance for Preservation (RAP) - RAP
is a national network of nonprofit organizations with expertise in the
field of conservation and preservation. Through coordinated outreach
activities, educational programs, and publications, RAP organizations
foster awareness about preserving our cultural heritage. RAP members
present training programs, provide conservation and preservation
services, create publications to assist institutions in caring for their
collections, and provide free technical advice to collecting
institutions across the country.
Society of American Archivists (SAA)
- SAA is North America's oldest and largest national archival
professional association, serving the educational and informational
needs of its individual and institutional members and providing
leadership to ensure the identification, preservation, and use of
library, archival, time-based media records of historical value.
Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections (SPNHC)
- SPNHC is an international society whose mission is to improve the
preservation, conservation and management of natural history collections
to ensure their continuing value to society. This natural history
professional organization promotes a multidisciplinary approach to
collections management and care.
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
- UNESCO works to create the conditions for dialogue among
civilizations, cultures and peoples, based upon respect for commonly
shared values. UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre was instituted to protect, safeguard and manage the world's tangible and intangible heritage. UNESCO currently lists 962 World Heritage Sites as places of outstanding cultural or natural importance to the common heritage of humanity.
Western Association for Art Conservation (WAAC)
- WAAC is a membership organization for professional conservators
practicing in the western United States as a forum for the exchange of
ideas, information and news. Although WAAC is specifically a regional
organization for the western states including Alaska and Hawaii, any
individual or institution may become a member regardless of location or
national boundary.
Washington Conservation Guild (WCG) -
The Washington Conservation Guild (WCG) is a nonprofit organization for
professional conservators, students, and others interested in the
conservation and preservation of art and historic materials. WCG was
founded in 1967 to promote the increase and exchange of conservation
knowledge.
