The Museum’s conservation team looks after the objects in the Museum’s large and varied collection of Australian historical material.
Conservators help make sure the collection can be enjoyed now and in the future. They work as part of a team including curators and exhibition designers to find the best ways to display and store objects while keeping them safe from harm.
The Museum has a special commitment to working with communities to care for First Nations collections.
Senior Objects Conservator Kerryn Wagg explains techniques used to care for Warakurna paintings and sculptures.
The conservation of First Nations cultural heritage demands deep respect for ongoing custodianship, grounded in Indigenous philosophies that prioritise care, connection and cultural continuity.
It requires embedding these principles into the preservation of collections through reciprocal relationships with Communities and Country, where caring for heritage is inseparable from caring for land, people and spiritual culture.
Student activities
1. What can cause objects to deteriorate or become damaged?
2. What tools or techniques do conservators use to protect and care for objects?
3. How do museums use their collections, and who benefits from the care of these objects?
For more information on artworks follow the link provided to view Warakurna works explained. Warakurna artworks | National Museum of Australia (nma.gov.au)