The Wayback Machine - https://web.archive.org/web/20240404210150/https://www.nga.gov/conservation/preventive.html
Skip to Main Content
Home>Conservation>Preventive Conservation

Conservation Division
National Gallery of Art
2000B South Club Drive
Landover, MD 20785
[email protected]

Preventive Conservation

preventive-thumbnail

The objective of preventive conservation is to stop environmental degradation and destruction of artwork before it occurs. Conservators who work in preventive conservation have a unique skill set and specialized knowledge of complex environmental conditions, including the monitoring and control of light, temperature, humidity, and pests. Exhibition and loan conservators provide expertise that ensures all art is handled in a conscientious manner during transport, installation, and display.

Effects of Light Exposure

Visible light is a small part of the electromagnetic spectrum to which the eye is sensitive. Its presence is essential for the most rewarding perception of almost all art. Yet exposure to light can result in cumulative and permanent damage to light-sensitive objects.
Save