In the metals conservation section we work on a wide range of artefacts from most curatorial departments. There are over 40,000 metal objects, as well as many metal parts in mixed material objects, within the collections at National Museums Liverpool. They span thousands of years and have had all manner of uses. Each one presents a different challenge to conservators.
We clean, stabilise, reconstruct and prepare objects for exhibitions at National Museums Liverpool and loans out to other bodies. We also advise and assist with the care of metal objects in storage.
The practical treatments carried out on objects often require us to remove and control corrosion in order to stabilise them but we can also protect many objects from further corrosion or deterioration using invisible coatings or special control materials within the display cases.
We regularly examine and record the condition of objects as part of our work, using microscopes, x-ray or analytical equipment. This can often provide more useful information for the curators about the original use, composition or the way these objects were made.
Contact the department
Email metals conservation