Museum of London - Conservation

Conservation allows the detailed study of artefacts, technology and use, as conservators work with excavators and finds specialists to contribute to the study and understanding of the finds.

Consultative surveys and reports on public and private collections can be carried out on site or at the Resource Centre. Our experienced staff are available for lectures and workshops on all aspects of our work.

How we can help

On-site conservation

Recovery of large or fragile objects from site, from mosaic floors to complex assemblages

On-site conservation of standing structural remains

Advice on the preservation of archaeological deposits in situ

Advice on mitigation strategies and reburial of structural remains and archaeological features

Analysis and investigation

Conservation of archaeological objects of all kinds; full documentation is provided, with technical reports where appropriate

Analytical and investigative conservation of all materials, particularly metalwork

Identification of materials and the composition of artefacts

Investigation of technologies associated with artefacts

Conservation and stabilisation of all materials for archive deposition

Conservation of wet organic materials – we have freeze-drying facilities for the conservation of leather and small wooden artefacts, plus a large treatment tank for the pre-treatment of larger structural timbers

Preventive conservation

Collections management programmes to assess the condition of archives and the performance of earlier treatments, using the latest statistical techniques

Advice on the preventive conservation of objects

Care and packaging on site

Conservation and advice on short- and long-term storage and display

Testing of display and archive materials using accelerated ageing tests

Forensic archaeology: preservation of material evidence for long-term storage and study