Collections care

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Advice around the Energy Crisis

Suspension of Minimum Temperature Requirement

To support museums with rising energy costs throughout the winter months, Arts Council England has agreed, with DCMS, to suspend the minimum temperature requirement for the next four months (December – March).

The standard requirement for temperature is: 16°C – 24°C with a maximum fluctuation of 4°C within 24 hours. The minimum requirement of 16°C will be suspended to 31 March 2023.
This arrangement is introduced with immediate effect and is not expected to produce negative impact on collections and loan items under indemnity. This temporary arrangement requires a planned approach of gradually reducing the temperature at the beginning and restoring at end of the 4 month period, to create a slow and gradual change to the period with no minimum temperature control; and in agreement with owners/ lenders.

This temporary arrangement is supported by the Government Indemnity Scheme (GIS) Environmental Adviser who will assess submitted temperature data accordingly.

GIS continues to require environmental conditions to be maintained 24 hours a days, 7 days a week throughout the loan period from the time the indemnified object arrives until it departs from the loan venue in accordance with Annex D of the GIS Guidelines for National and Non National institutions. Relative humidity, temperature, light and UV levels are to be monitored through the loan period in the space within which the indemnified object is contained.

For general or environmental advice, email government.indemnityscheme@artscouncil.org.uk

Read the Arts Council post


Advice around Covid-19

Collections Trust

Collections Trust have many resources for collections care which include:

East Midlands Museum Development

East Midlands Museum Development has shared the link to their Caring for Collections in Lockdown resource.  This includes a checklist template and training video to aid museum staff and volunteers who wish to undertake regular site visits for collections care and security purposes during the current Covid-19 outbreak.

ICON

ICON and the ICON Care of Collections Group have published a new guide and checklist to outline how to address collection conservation issues that might have occurred during the Coronavirus (Covid-19) lockdown period.  Read it here


 

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