Caring for the DAR Museum Collection

The paintings, quilts, costumes, ceramics and many other items in the DAR Museum collection need special care to help preserve them for the future. The DAR Museum collection has more than 21,000 various objects in its holdings. How these objects are stored, handled and moved are critical factors that affect their condition. Preventing damage and deterioration is the simplest method of care, and we use several strategies to protect and maintain the collection. 

Designing organized storage is the first line of defense against accidents. Objects have specific locations and wear tags with their identification numbers, so it’s easy to retrieve them from storage and return them. Especially fragile items have their own custom boxes.  

Environmental factors also affect the overall health of objects. Keeping relatively constant temperature and humidity levels reduces the chance of mold growth, corrosion, flaking paint and other destructive changes that challenge collections care.

Performing inventories of objects in storage and display areas helps us to observe any changes in an object’s physical state. Despite these precautions, some things will need to be repaired. When this is needed, we call trained conservators who use the latest techniques and materials to help stabilize any deterioration and improve the physical state of an object. All of our procedures and activities help ensure that the items remain in good condition in order to ensure the longevity of the collection.