Cynon Valley Museum and Art Gallery, Re-organisation

 

Whilst on a work placement at the above institution, I worked in a store with environmental and organisational problems that limited access to parts of the collection. In response to this situation I designed and helped seek funding for a project to use conservation students to reorganise and assess the collection and implement environmental and organisational solutions.

 

With the full support of the Museum, I was tasked with the process of identifying the challenges within the project and implement appropriate solutions. For example, the store itself was a listed concrete building. The concrete interior generated large amounts of dust and deposited acidic particulate matter on the collection. Sealing the walls was not a financially viable option and therefore bespoke covers for the mobile shelving units were designed and installed.

 

During the project I was responsible for a team of student volunteers. My responsibilities required me to carry out a risk assessment for the project assessing and negating risks including manual handling, use of electrical equipment, working from height and use of sharps. All of the volunteers were required to carry out manual handling training and were supplied with appropriate PPE. The project further required the use of a scissor lift that was operated under the guidance of a licensed professional.

 

Following the project the Museum gained an up to date inventory and conservation assessment of their collection; conditions for the collection were improved. I gained experience in object handling, condition reporting, pest management, risk management, co-ordinating a volunteer team, advising on conservation needs, and implementing bespoke long term storage solutions.

 

This project was successfully completed in April 2014. Since this time I have presented at conferences on the benefits of museums assessing their collections storage with the view to implementing a reorganisation to make best use of limited space, auditing the collection and prioritising objects for conservation.