Institute of Conservation

Institute of Conservation
Name	Institute of Conservation
Formation	2005
Type	Professional body
Headquarters	London
Location	United Kingdom
Region served	International
Membership	Conservators, conservation scientists, heritage professionals

Institute of Conservation is a professional body representing conservation professionals in the United Kingdom and internationally, bringing together practitioners active in museum practice, archive care, library preservation, architectural conservation, and archaeological conservation. It provides professional standards, accreditation, training, advocacy, and a network for specialists working on cultural heritage from objects and manuscripts to buildings and landscapes. The institute interacts with museums, galleries, archives, libraries, universities, and government heritage departments to support conservation practice and policy.

History

The institute formed through consolidation of specialist bodies to unify standards and representation across conservation sectors, uniting professionals whose careers intersect with institutions such as the British Museum, Natural History Museum, Tate, Victoria and Albert Museum, National Gallery, British Library, and Royal Armouries. Its roots draw on earlier organizations including the Museum Technical Group, British Association of Paper Historians, Scottish Conservation Studio networks in Edinburgh and Glasgow, Historic England initiatives, and training units associated with the Courtauld Institute of Art, University College London, University of York, and Cardiff University. Influences from international organizations such as ICOM, ICOMOS, ICCROM, and UNESCO shaped its early advocacy, while partnerships with funding bodies like the Heritage Lottery Fund and Arts Council England supported projects and professional development. The institute’s evolution responded to challenges highlighted by incidents like the MS "Royal Mail Ship" restorations, disaster responses similar to the Florence flood, and conservation debates prompted by exhibitions at institutions like the National Portrait Gallery and the British Library.

Structure and Membership

The institute’s governance includes a board and committees that echo structures found in historic bodies such as the Society of Antiquaries of London, the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, the Royal Society, the Royal Academy, and the Museums Association. Membership categories reflect practitioners from conservation studios, academic departments at the University of Glasgow, University of Leeds, Durham University, and University of Oxford, and professionals employed by local authorities such as Westminster City Council and Manchester City Council. Members include conservators, conservation scientists, curators from the Wallace Collection, staff from the National Trust, English Heritage, Cadw, Historic Scotland, and specialists who have worked with institutions like the British Library, Wellcome Collection, Imperial War Museums, Science Museum Group, and National Maritime Museum. International links extend to conservators associated with the Smithsonian Institution, Library of Congress, Getty Conservation Institute, and Australian National Maritime Museum.

Activities and Services

The institute delivers accreditation, guidance, disaster response coordination, ethical frameworks, and advice used by museums, libraries, archives, and historic houses such as Blenheim Palace, Hampton Court Palace, and Chartwell. Activities include conferences featuring speakers from institutions like the V&A, Tate Modern, National Museum Wales, and the Louvre; training workshops with inputs from the Getty Conservation Institute, the British Library, and the National Archives; and collaboration with emergency response groups modeled on teams like the American Institute for Conservation and the Canadian Conservation Institute. Services also include specialist panels addressing textile conservation for collections at the Fashion Museum, conservation of archaeological materials from sites like Stonehenge and Hadrian’s Wall, and built heritage projects in collaboration with bodies such as Historic Royal Palaces and the Church of England.

Professional Standards and Accreditation

The institute maintains professional standards and an accreditation scheme comparable to systems used by the Royal Institute of British Architects, the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals, and the Royal Town Planning Institute. It sets codes of conduct for practitioners working with collections in settings such as the British Museum, Tate Britain, and the National Maritime Museum, and liaises with regulatory entities like the Health and Safety Executive and the Information Commissioner’s Office when necessary. Accreditation processes evaluate expertise relevant to conservation treatments seen in projects at institutions including the Fitzwilliam Museum, Ashmolean Museum, and the National Galleries of Scotland.

Training and Education

Training initiatives connect vocational and academic pathways including conservation degrees at the Courtauld Institute, University of East Anglia, Northumbria University, and University of Southampton, and vocational training provided through workshops hosted by the British Library, National Archives, and regional conservation centres in Bristol, York, and Leicester. The institute supports apprenticeships and continuous professional development used by staff at municipal museums such as the Manchester Museum and Liverpool’s World Museum, and facilitates exchanges and placements with international bodies including ICCROM, ICOMOS, and the Getty Conservation Institute.

Research and Publications

The institute produces guidance, technical leaflets, and position papers, contributing to the literature alongside journals and presses such as Studies in Conservation, Journal of the Institute of Conservation, Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites, Museum Management and Curatorship, and Routledge publications. Research collaborations involve universities such as University College London, University of Kent, University of Birmingham, and Royal Holloway, and projects intersecting with scientific partners like the Natural History Museum’s conservation science laboratory, the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, and the National Oceanography Centre. Topics covered include preventive conservation for collections at the British Library, collection care strategies used by the Wellcome Collection, and material-specific research relevant to institutions such as the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Science Museum Group.

Awards and Outreach

The institute administers awards, bursaries, and outreach programmes that recognise excellence among conservators who have worked on projects at the National Trust, Historic England sites, and major museums like the Tate, British Museum, and Imperial War Museums. Outreach includes public engagement with galleries such as the National Gallery, partnerships with education providers including the Open University and City & Guilds, and collaborative initiatives with cultural organisations such as the BBC, Arts Council England, and the Heritage Lottery Fund to raise awareness of conservation work and its societal value.

Category:Conservation