4 May 2022
Collections Care and Management
Leicestershire's Museum Collections are cared for by a small team who make sure that they will survive for future generations to enjoy.
Marking and Labelling: in order to look after and share our collections we give each object a unique number which is attached to it both physically and digitally.
Pest Management: unfortunately some of our objects are quite desirable to pests who can cause serious damage. We lay traps to help identify any potential problems so that we can deal with them as soon possible.
Environment Monitoring: Environmental factors including temperature and humidity can be important when caring for certain objects. We use sensors to detect any changes in our museums and collection centres.
Documentation: we make lots of notes about our objects such as when and where they were made and special memories associated with them so that we can share their stories with you.
Cleaning: from time to time our objects may need a little cleaning to keep them looking their best and to protect them from dust, dirt and pollution.
Environmental Control: archaeological metalwork requires a dry environment to prevent it from deteriorating. We use silica gel beads to help reduce the moisture in the air.
One of the preconceptions we hope to challenge here at Leicestershire Collections is the belief that museum collections that are not on display are ‘hidden away in dusty stores’.
For one thing, we have housekeeping standards. Keeping dust and pests at bay is one of the most basic forms of collection care.
Secondly, our museum collections facilities are a hive of activity, with our curatorial and collections management and care teams looking after the collections and making them accessible in many different ways. Objects are constantly being condition checked, photographed, prepared for display in our museums and heritage sites; lending them to other museums and organisations, and providing reference material and inspiration for researchers, students, volunteers, artists and community groups.
We hope that this section will show you some of the day to day work of our teams and share some of the amazing collections we are lucky enough to work with.