Enhancing Collections Care: A Conservation Journey at the Quaker Tapestry Museum

At the Quaker Tapestry Museum we have, with the help of Conservation Volunteers, Kit and Jill, recently completed an inventory and repack of our entire collection in acid-free tissue. Subsequently, the museum is embarking on a journey to bolster its collections care practices and we sought to gain professional advice to take our standards to the next level. We were successful in our application to the Association of Independent Museums (AIM)’s Collections Care Audit Grant, generously supported by the Pilgrim Trust.

Thanks to the keen insights of Tuula Pardoe, an Icon accredited conservator hailing from the Scottish Conservation Studio, this audit has proved to be an invaluable step forward in preserving the museum’s rich heritage. Her wealth of experience has brought a fresh perspective and we are confident that by enacting her recommendations, we will be better able to care for our cherished artefacts and textiles, propelling them towards a future of enhanced longevity.

The visit began with Tuula Pardoe being welcomed by Francesca, the museum’s Curator and shown around the museum stores and exhibition spaces. She also met longstanding conservation volunteer, Kit and discussed the museum’s prior collections care work.

Tuula visit proved to be just what we needed, illuminating areas of improvement that will profoundly impact the museum’s collections care strategy. One of the key takeaways from her visit was the invaluable advice on repacking textiles. With Tuula’s expert guidance, the museum’s approach to textile preservation will undergo a transformation. By implementing her recommendations, we will not only bolster the protection of our delicate textiles but also create a new storage space, in addition to optimising existing ones.

Recognizing the significance of maintaining optimal environmental conditions, Tuula confirmed our anticipated need for continuous temperature and humidity monitors. These instruments, provide automatically-collected data on fluctuations that could potentially jeopardize the integrity of the artefacts. Armed with this knowledge, the museum can then respond proactively to ensure the long-term stability of its collection.

As the museum forges ahead, armed with newfound knowledge and an invigorated commitment to collections care, we stand poised to weave a future that honours our past, ensuring that generations to come will have the privilege of experiencing the rich tapestry of history first-hand.