Caring for Collections: Principles and Practice - ARC00142M

«Back to module search

Module summary

This module introduces the key forces that threaten the long-term preservation of heritage materials, examining how agents of change shape decision-making in collections care. Through a preventative conservation framework, students will explore the interactions between materials, collection environments, and patterns of use, considering how these factors influence the value, accessibility, and interpretation of cultural objects. Highlighting environmental management within museums and heritage institutions, the module guides students from recognising critical environmental risks, such as relative humidity, temperature, light exposure, and pollutants, to establishing informed environmental parameters, monitoring conditions, and analysing data to support evidence-based decision-making. Students will also consider the roles of storage, handling, display, housekeeping, and integrated pest management in safeguarding collections. Combining theory with hands-on skills, the module equips students with a practical understanding of how to implement preventive strategies, develop risk-aware approaches to collections care, and contribute to the sustainable stewardship of cultural heritage

Module will run

Occurrence	Teaching period
A	Semester 2 2026-27

Module aims

This module aims to:

• Equip students with practical skills in documentation, condition checking, and needs assessment to support collection care decision-making.
• Investigate the interactions between materials, their surroundings and how these shape conservation approaches and heritage values.
• Identify critical environmental factors and set appropriate targets to mitigate risks to heritage assets.
• Introduce skills in capturing data and interpreting results to make informed collection strategies.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Critically understand how to develop, implement, and evaluate effective strategies, policies, and procedures for improving collections care of cultural heritage.
• Reflect on the balance between preservation, access, and resource limitations when proposing collection care initiatives.
• Describe the principles and ethical considerations of preventive conservation and their relevance to museum practice.

Module content

This module provides an in-depth introduction to preventive conservation within museum and collections care contexts, emphasising proactive strategies to safeguard cultural heritage across storage, display, and handling environments. Students will examine the full spectrum of agents of change and how they affect diverse collection materials, developing an understanding of how risk can be identified, mitigated, and monitored in day-to-day heritage practice. The module builds core skills in documentation and assessment, including condition checking and structured needs assessments that support long-term planning. Students will explore a range of preventive strategies, from restitution, safe handling, packing, and transit planning to designing accessible, well-supported storage and display solutions that balance preservation with public engagement.

In addition to environmental management, the course places strong emphasis on maintenance-based care: housekeeping routines, managing dust and pollutants, integrated pest management, and establishing coherent workflows that support safe object movement and use. It also introduces risk management tools, including emergency preparedness and response planning, helping students understand how institutional readiness contributes to collection resilience. By synthesising theoretical principles with practical application, the module equips students with the confidence and competence to develop ethical, sustainable, and effective collection care measures across museum and heritage settings.

Indicative assessment

Task	% of module mark
Essay/coursework	100.0

Special assessment rules

None

Indicative reassessment

Task	% of module mark
Essay/coursework	100.0

Module feedback

Formative: oral feedback from module leaders on an abstract of your poster (300 words max)

Summative: written feedback within the University's turnaround policy

Indicative reading

• Douglas-Jones, R., Hughes, J.J., Jones, S. and Yarrow, T., 2016. Science, value and material decay in the conservation of historic environments. Journal of Cultural Heritage, 21, pp.823-833.
• Elkadi, H., Al-Maiyah, S., Fielder, K., Kenawy, I. and Martinson, D.B., 2021. The regulations and reality of indoor environmental standards for objects and visitors in museums. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 152, p.111653.
• Henderson, J. and Lingle, A. (2025) ‘Visualising care: representing decision models for conservation’, Journal of the Institute of Conservation, 48(3), pp. 312–326. doi: 10.1080/19455224.2025.2551185.