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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]

Control of relative humidity (RH) for collections care is challenging in U.K. historic houses because they are often highly ventilated with poor heat retention, a porous building fabric and naturally tend to high (60-80%) RH if unheated. The significance of the building means that large-scale modifications and installation of air handling systems may be unfeasible and undesirable for the conservation of the building. In the late 1980s the National Trust, for English, Wales and Northern Ireland, investigated conservation heating as an RH control method that works with the natural environment of historic buildings, mimicking historic heating and requiring only modification of existing heating services or a light touch installation of new heating systems. The National Trust adopted conservation heating as its preferred method for environmental control in historic buildings from the 1990s. This method was presented at the IIC 1994 Ottawa congress on preventive conservation. Conservation heating has since been adopted by many historic house management organisations, particularly across north-west Europe, where it is well suited to the climate. This paper reviews conservation heating developments implemented by the National Trust since 1994, in response to a changing external context, new knowledge and developments in operational practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The National Trust owns and opens to the public historic houses containing an enormous quantity and range of decorative arts. Conserving these features in ways that enhance visitors' enjoyment through their experience of the conservation work is now as important an objective of conservation in the National Trust as improving these features' state of conservation. This paper takes as an example the conservation of the early eighteenth-century Baroque wall paintings decorating the staircase of Hanbury Hall (Worcestershire, UK) which presented considerable challenges not only in conservation but also in enabling the visiting public to experience the work. Evaluation of visitors' response is presented and discussed in the context of evaluations of other 'conservation in action' projects across the National Trust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How do organizations navigate change and remain viable for the future while remaining true to their core purpose? The National Trust's development of its Conservation Principles in 2008 was in response to the continuing need to rearticulate its purpose and vision in a changing socio-economic climate. They take account of the principles and charters produced by national and international conservation organizations. In fact, their timing serendipitously reflected the publication of those of English Heritage. This article is by one of the authors chiefly responsible for producing the Conservation Principles, working alongside the full range of conservation professionals involved in the National Trust's work. It explains how one set of principles can encompass butterflies and books, farms and furniture, coast and country houses. It will discuss how the Trust is developing the use of these principles to help the non-conservation specialists who manage our properties take decisions that are well founded not only in improving conservation and the environment, but which also address other sustainability factors to provide finance and social benefits, in particular through the way that conservation and access need to be considered as mutually beneficial rather than in conflict. «La prise de décision durable—le changement dans la conservation des collections du National Trust» Comment changent les organisations et comment restent-elles viables pour l'avenir, tout en restant fidèles à leurs objectifs fondamentaux? Le National Trust a développé ses principes de conservation en 2008 pour répondre au besoin permanent de réarticuler son but et sa vision dans un climat socio-économique en mutation. Ils tenaient compte des principes et des chartes produits par des organismes de conservation nationaux et internationaux. En fait, leur calendrier reflétait par hasard la publication de ceux du English Heritage. Cet article est écrit par l'un des auteurs principalement impliqués dans la rédaction des principes de conservation, œuvrant aux côtés de l'ensemble des professionnels de la conservation impliqués dans le travail du National Trust. Il explique comment une série de principes peut englober des papillons et des livres, des fermes et des meubles, des côtes et maisons de campagne. Il présentera comment le National Trust développe l'utilisation de ces principes pour aider les non-spécialistes en conservation qui gèrent nos biens à prendre des décisions qui sont légitimes non seulement pour améliorer la conservation et l'environnement, mais qui abordent également d'autres facteurs de développement durable pour assurer des bénéfices financiers et sociaux, notamment à travers la façon dont la conservation et l'accès doivent être considérés comme mutuellement bénéfiques plutôt que conflictuels. ,,Nachhaltige Entscheidungsfindung – Neuansatz in der Bestandserhaltung des National Trust" Wie gehen Organisationen mit Umbrüchen um und wie bleiben sie dabei zugleich zukunftsrelevant und treu gegenüber ihrer Kernaufgabe? Die Entwicklung der National Trust "Conservation Principles" im Jahr 2008 war in Antwort auf die andauernde Notwendigkeit, die fundamentale Aufgabe und das Leitbild der Institution in einem sich ständig ändernden sozioökonomischen Klima neu zu definieren. Die "Conservation Principles" berücksichtigen die Grundsätze und Satzungen nationaler und internationaler Restauratorenverbände und ihre Erscheinung erfolgte zeitgleich mit der Veröffentlichung jener des English Heritage. Dieser Artikel wurde von einer der AutorInnen, welche die Hauptverantwortung für die Verfassung der "Conservation Principles" tragen, in Zusammenarbeit mit ExpertInnen aller Restaurierungsdisziplinen des National Trust erarbeitet. Der Artikel erörtert, wie ein einziges Grundsatzpapier alles von Schmetterlingen über Bücher, Bauernhäuser und Möbel bis zu Küste und Landhäusern umfassen kann. Es wird diskutiert, wie der National Trust mit der Anwendung dieser Prinzipien beabsichtigt, jenen Nicht-Spezialisten, die seine Gebäude verwalten, Hilfestellung bei Entscheidungsfindungen zu leisten, welche nicht nur der Verbesserung der Erhaltung sowie des Natur- und Umweltschutzes dienen, sondern zugleich auch andere Nachhaltigkeitsfaktoren in Hinblick auf finanzielle und soziale Vorteile berücksichtigt. Besonderes Augenmerk wird darauf gelegt, wie Restaurierung und Zugang dabei gegenseitig voneinander profitieren und sich nicht einander ausschlieβen. "Tomando decisiones sostenibles- el cambio en la conservación de las Colecciones del National Trust" ¿Cómo pueden las organizaciones guiar el cambio y a la vez permanecer viables para el futuro y verdaderas a su propósito principal? En el 2008, en respuesta a la necesidad continua de rearticular el propósito y visión en un clima de cambio socio-económico, el National Trust desarrolló sus 'Principios de Conservación'. Se toman en cuenta los principios y los estatutos producidos por organizaciones de conservación nacional e internacional. De hecho, por coincidencia fortuita fueron publicados al mismo tiempo que los producidos por English Heritage. Este artículo está escrito por uno de los principales autores que han producido los 'Principios de Conservación', trabajo? junto a una amplia gama de profesionales de la conservación del Nacional Trust. Se explica como un conjunto de principios puede abarcar mariposas y libros, granjas y muebles, casas de campo y de costa. Se discutirá como el "National Trust" está desarrollando el uso de estos principios para ayudar a los especialistas- no conservadores- que gestionan las propiedades a tomar decisiones bien fundadas; no solo para mejorar su conservación y el ambiente sino también para abordar otros factores sostenibles que proporcionaran beneficios sociales y económicos, en particular como la conservación y el acceso a colecciones debe considerarse como beneficioso para ambos en vez de cómo conflicto. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the economic implications of cleaning in response to the flow of visitors through historic houses. The section reflects on work carried out in properties of the National Trust for England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, which is the largest accredited museum authority in the U.K., with 175 furnished properties open to visitors for seven months each year, on average five days per week and four to five hours a day. According to the study, although it describes how control of dust influences property management and housekeeping policies in the National Trust, the outcomes are applicable to historic properties in general and to museums and galleries where significant interiors and collections are exposed to dust.