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This simple model, developed by conservators, assists in the challenge of making preventive conservation, housekeeping, and care of historic interiors and collections, physically and economically sustainable, in historic houses welcoming increasing volumes of visitors (a primary source of dust). It introduces objectivity into conservation advice and management decisions: how many collections care staff should each historic house ideally employ, and how large an annual budget is required to fund the non-wage costs of routine preventive and interventive conservation? Are staffing structures rational and consistent, and tailored to the individual and developing circumstances of multiple properties? Eight qualitative and quantitative criteria are each given a score from 1–4 in relation to their data ranges. The total scores for each property are converted to percentages, correlated with staffing structures, and used to estimate the requirements for daily, weekly and annual housekeeping and conservation cleaning. Selected data are used to measure housekeeping performance against weekly targets, and to rationalize the distribution of financial resources for preventive conservation and maintenance. The model can be adapted for use in any museum or heritage building which needs to assess and quantify the routine care of interiors and collections on open display to visitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The care of historic interiors in the U.K. and abroad has evolved over many centuries, from historic housekeeping documented in early manuscripts, to preventive conservation, collections care and management widely practised in museums today. This paper takes a long view of this evolution, considering the causes and instigators of change in approaches taken by public institutions and private owners of historic collections. The influence of increasing professionalisation of the heritage sector and of statutory concern for the care of items of national interest is reviewed, and practice compared in the private and public spheres, to consider the future for conservation housekeeping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decorative art collections which remain in the places for which they were made, bought, or collected can illuminate the past by showing how objects were used. This paper explores how managers and collections care staff can establish levels of visitor access and object use which enhance the visitor experience. Conservation management plans are used to determine the significance of historic places and distinguish between their relative sensitivities. By contrast, conservation of collections tends to treat all objects as of equal significance and vulnerability to change while conservators aim to make all objects last 'forever'. The National Trust, UK, now accepts that conservation is the careful management of change. Materials have a finite life-time, and places will evolve, but experiences can be preserved. This approach depends on an ability to distinguish between robust and fragile materials, between furnishings indigenous to each property, and those brought in to supplement displays; the latter can be used more intensively to 'bring places to life'. The pleasure which visitors derive from the use of collections enhances their appreciation of museums, and in turn creates a virtuous circle where visitor numbers and income increase. Museums may have to stop exercising the precautionary principle in order to become more sustainable organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A qualitative understanding of the particles in dust and their sources helps to identify ways to reduce the accumulation of dust within historic houses. Knowing the possible sources of dust helps to suggest preventive steps. Simple low-technology methods enable rapid identification of dust deposits and require little specialist equipment. Dust samples can be collected on sticky surfaces for examination with a hand lens or microscope. The size of particles and fibres, and amount of surface coverage, can be estimated roughly using a graticule or coverage chart. An atlas of common dust components aids identification of soil dust, soot, insects, plant fragments, hair, skin, paint/plaster, clothing fibres, paper, food and mould. A mixture of fine dust is resolvable into a range of particle and fibre types. Long exposures of sticky samplers, with an estimate of the area covered by dust, indicate the rate of deposition and suggest the cleaning frequency necessary to prevent negative visitor reactions. The atlas lists suppliers and sources of information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Museum standards for preserving cultural material need to be interpreted sensitively if they are to ensure sustainable access to fragile historic house interiors, presented as homes still in occupation. High standards of preventive conservation can be achieved by adapting traditional housekeeping practices, recorded in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century manuals. Conservators have revived methods to protect collections from physical damage, biological infestations, pollution, light, and inappropriate levels of temperature and relative humidity. To ensure that vulnerable collections are properly maintained, conservators equip historic house managers with an understanding of preventive conservation and technical information to aid monitoring and documentation, staff training and management. In conclusion, the paper emphasizes the need to establish a sustainable balance between conservation and access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]