This three-day course will begin by reviewing the history and use of common metals and their alloys, and give practical guidelines for their identification. It will explore the basic science behind deterioration and corrosion problems related to indoor, outdoor, and archaeological environments. We will look at a variety of metal objects including those from both the Beloit’s Logan Museum of Anthropology and Wright Museum of Art and discuss common ways metals present in collections and how to decipher what you are seeing, such as damage and alterations from use, handling, and storage.

The course will focus on developing a basic body of knowledge in order to make informed decisions about the care of metals, what simple preventative measures can mitigate deterioration and when interventive measures are necessary. The course will also review general conservation treatment strategies and discuss basic procedures that can be done in-house as well as those that require a conservator.