What data does an environmental monitoring program typically collect? The most often gathered data is for temperature (degrees), relative humidity (%) and light (lux). Temperature and relative humidity data can be gathered easily and inexpensively. Light data includes visible and UV light and can be gathered easily with the right equipment. Collect and review data […]
Understanding the environment your collections are housed in is not a new concept. Curators and collectors have historically recognized that things like sun exposure, moisture levels, and heat can cause significant damage to items meant to be preserved for ages. For some time, however, the means by which collection spaces could be evaluated were limited. […]
FAIC’s Collections Assessment for Preservation (CAP) and Conserv are partnering to help small and mid-sized museums manage their collection environments with confidence. What is the Small Collections Monitoring Program? We, at Conserv, developed the Small Collections Monitoring Program because we receive used, but functioning data loggers as trade-ins from institutions that have purchased environmental monitoring […]
An effective environmental monitoring program is about more than measuring the environment. There are many challenges that need to be overcome to properly protect a collection: Staff may not be available for full-time monitoring Storage locations may be many and far apart Facilities teams and conservation teams may not have regular communications Collections staff may […]
M. Susan Barger of the Conserv Community Board introduces the Small Collections Monitoring Program (SCMP). Read on to learn about how you can trade in your old data loggers to small collections just getting started with monitoring. What is the Small Collections Monitoring Program? You did it! Your institution is going to join Conserv and […]
This guest blog features a summary of research by Allison Kelley, a graduate fellow studying preventive conservation at the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation. For her research, Conserv provided access to their analytic tools and wireless sensors. Banner image courtesy of the Golf Museum at James River Country Club Rarely in the […]
Conserv has partnered with the Albany Museum of art to improve their collection environment with real-time temperature and relative humidity data.
LoRaWAN is a great solution for wireless, conservation-focused environmental monitoring.
Environmental monitoring for collections is a process of observation, interpretation, action, and evaluation.
There’s a reason why your collection doesn’t have wireless sensors for environmental monitoring. WiFi is a bad solution for collections.
