Email digest for the Global Conservation Forum (ConsDistList) egroup.
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1. RE: Cleaning advice for moa skeleton
2. Job Opportunity: Collection Care Manager at National Museums NI
3. Call for Papers – 9th Architectural Finishes Research Conference (Vienna,
3–6 Nov 2027)
4. ChemCH conference - Slovenia, 8-11 June, 2026
5. RE: Job Opportunity: Object or Furniture Conservator
6. Canadian PCB Regulation Update for Canadian Museums with PCB-Containing
Collections
7. Free Preventive Conservation Assessments Webinars
8. Call for Papers: Case Studies Special Issue - Journal for the Preservation
of Library and Archival Material (JPLAM)
9. PhD Fellowship at the University of Oslo
10. Use of Hextol and Methylene Chloride for Plexiglass Repair
11. Materials Science Pioneers in Art and Archaeology Webinar Series
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1.From: Lu Allington-Jones
Posted: Monday January 12, 2026 8:34 AM
Subject: RE: Cleaning advice for moa skeleton
Message: Hi Becky, This may require fossil preparation techniques such as
an airscribe/pneumatic pen or split-V. or possibly chemical treatments such
as gels or acid, but it is difficult to tell without knowing more about the
chemistry. If you are interested in chatting more, please feel free to send me
some images and details about the matrix it has been excavated from. Best
wishes, Lu
[email protected]
-------------------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 1/11/2026 3:04:00 PM
From: Becky Helliwell
Subject: Cleaning advice for moa skeleton
Kia ora! I am looking for advice or resources regarding the cleaning of
excavated animal (specifically moa) bones with considerable amounts of sediment
and calcified deposits on the surface. I am an objects conservator and have
been asked to clean a moa skeleton in preparation for 3D scanning and display.
I began with a soft brush/vacuum, but it has quickly become apparent that much
of the surface of the bone is covered with hard, crusty deposits. I am reaching
out for advice because I am unsure how to proceed, and how far it would be
usual to take the treatment. I want to make sure I am advocating well for the
skeleton, and have the information to be able to say what treatment is
appropriate and what would be considered too invasive by our field. I have
tried to do some research, but have not found much from a conservation point of
view, and so I'd be grateful to hear from anyone with experience of this sort
of treatment, or suggestions of papers to read.
Many thanks,
Becky
------------------------------
Becky Helliwell
Conservator
Canterbury Museum
Christchurch
New Zealand
------------------------------
2.From: Shannon Campbell
Posted: Monday January 12, 2026 8:34 AM
Subject: Job Opportunity: Collection Care Manager at National Museums NI
Message:
Reposted from National Museums NI website:
Job reference: 2025R000464
Date posted: 09/01/2026
Application closing date: 25/01/2026
Location: Corporate Headquarters, Cultra, Northern Ireland
Salary: £47,304 - £49,515 pro rata, per annum
Package: NICS pension scheme. Generous leave entitlement
Contractual hours: 37
Basis: Permanent, Full time
National Museums NI is a leading cultural institution and is responsible for
ensuring that its significant collection is developed, cared for and accessible
to the widest possible audience. Almost one million people enjoy our four
museums each year, and through loans, research, community activity and digital
programmes we engage a much wider audience than those who physically visit our
museums. The Collections Care Manager will support the development and delivery
of an integrated and pragmatic approach to the preventive care and management
of collections within National Museums NI.
The Collections Services department has a Collections Care team, which is
focused on the management of Preventive Conservation, and a Conservation team
which has a focus on the management of Interventive Conservation. Both teams
will be led by a qualified senior manager, who will work in partnership to
manage the conservation and collections care requirements for the organisation.
The post-holder will manage the Preventive Conservation team across all museums
and collections stores. The Collections Care team consists of 3 Preventive
Conservators who will be responsible for developing and implementing the
strategic management of collection care across all preventative conservation
disciplines.
The post-holder and their team will support the exhibition and loans program,
collections storage projects and capital program development projects across
all sites. In collaboration and partnership with the Conservation team, the
Collections Care team will be responsible for the delivery of the Collections
Care and Conservation Strategy, preventive conservation strategies and a high
standard of collection risk management according to the Collections Care Plan.
Apply online:
https://ce0568li.webitrent.com/ce0568li_webrecruitment/wrd/run/ETREC106GF.display_srch_all?WVID=8613021hvt
------------------------------
Shannon Campbell
Objects Conservator
National Museums Northern Ireland
Holywood
United Kingdom
------------------------------
3.From: Gesa Schwantes
Posted: Monday January 12, 2026 9:41 AM
Subject: Call for Papers – 9th Architectural Finishes Research Conference
(Vienna, 3–6 Nov 2027)
Message: The 9th Architectural Finishes Research Conference will take place in
Vienna, Austria, from 3–6 November 2027. Held at the historic Semperdepot, the
conference brings together researchers and practitioners working with historic
architectural finishes in the context of built heritage conservation.
Under the theme "Tracing History – Layers of Cultural Evidence", the conference
explores finishes as material witnesses to cultural, social, and technical
histories. Contributions are invited that address investigative methods,
practice-based case studies, interpretation and narratives, education and
training, standards and guidelines, and strategies for recording and sharing
knowledge in Architectural Finishes Research.
The Call for Papers invites the submission of abstracts (maximum 500 words).
Abstract deadline: 5 May 2026.
Further information: http://afrconference2027.at <http://afrconference2027.at>
------------------------------
Gesa Schwantes
Asst. Prof. Conservation of Murals and Architectural Surfaces
Acadamy of Fine Arts Vienna
Wien
Austria
------------------------------
4.From: Emma Paolin
Posted: Monday January 12, 2026 9:49 AM
Subject: ChemCH conference - Slovenia, 8-11 June, 2026
Message:
ChemCH 2026 – 8th International Congress on CHEMISTRY FOR CULTURAL HERITAGE
Bled, Slovenia
June 8–11, 2026
The ChemCH conferences have been organised biennially since 2010, initiated by
the EuCHEMS Working Party on Chemistry for Cultural Heritage. With the
overarching theme of Chemistry for Cultural Heritage, the conferences promote
chemical science and technology research in the field of heritage conservation.
The main objective is to understand cultural heritage objects and materials,
both through the technologies used in their production and through the studying
their degradation processes over time. Advances in research methodologies and
sophisticated instrumentation have significantly improved our ability to
characterize the chemical composition and properties of these materials, with a
focus on non-destructive and minimally invasive techniques. Equally important
is the interpretation of the data using chemometric approaches and various AI
tools, which support a modern, interdisciplinary framework for more
comprehensive insights into the material remains of the past.
We are pleased to announce that the 8th International Congress on Chemistry for
Cultural Heritage (ChemCH 2026) will take place from June 8 to 11, 2026, in the
beautiful town of Bled, Slovenia.
Organised by the Heritage Science Laboratory Ljubljana (HSLL) at the University
of Ljubljana, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, and supported by a
consortium of partner institutions, ChemCH 2026 continues the tradition of
bringing together scientists, conservators, and heritage professionals to
explore the role of chemistry in cultural heritage research and preservation.
Important Dates
15 January 2026: ChemCH Award nomination deadline
1 February 2026: Abstract submission
15 March 2026: ChemCH awardee announcements
15 March 2026: Acceptance notification
1 April 2026: Programme announcement
1 April 2026: Early Bird payment deadline
Univerza v Ljubljani
Fakulteta za kemijo
in kemijsko tehnologijo
Emma Paolin
Mlada Raziskovalka / Researcher/PhD Student
Katedra za analizno kemijo / Chair of Analytical Chemistry
Fakulteta za kemijo in kemijsko tehnologijo / Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical
Technology
Večna pot 113, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenija / Slovenia
T.: +386 1 479 8642 <tel:+386 1 479 8642>
[email protected] <[email protected]>, www.fkkt.uni-lj.si
<http://www.fkkt.uni-lj.si/>, https://hslab.fkkt.uni-lj.si/
<https://hslab.fkkt.uni-lj.si/>
<http://www.uni-lj.si/>
5.From: Torunn Bøe
Posted: Monday January 12, 2026 11:05 AM
Subject: RE: Job Opportunity: Object or Furniture Conservator
Message:
Dear Hany,
Thank you for your message, and I hope the new year has started well for you
too.
I apologize for the confusion regarding the dates. The position was originally
posted before Christmas, and the current announcement is a re‑post of that
listing. I'm sorry that this was not made clearer.
The application deadline was yesterday, Sunday, at midnight.
Thank you for pointing this out.
Wishing you all the best,
Torunn
------------------------------
Torunn Bøe
Head of Conservation Department
Museumssenteret i Hordaland
Bergen
Norway
------------------------------
-------------------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 01-11-2026 05:26
From: Hany Hanna
Subject: Job Opportunity: Object or Furniture Conservator
Dear Torunn,
Greetings from Egypt.
Hope you are doing well and having great and healthy time in the new year.
I am afraid that there are some thing not in order regarding the timing as
January 11, 2026 is today Sunday.
Please be so kind and review.
Wishing you all the best.
All yours,
Hany
Dr. Hany Hanna
------------------------------
Hany Hanna
Chief Conservator, Director General of Conservation , Helwan, El-Saf and Atfeh
Sector
Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
Cairo
Egypt
------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 01-07-2026 02:51
From: Torunn Bøe
Subject: Job Opportunity: Object or Furniture Conservator
Job Opportunity - Object or Furniture ConservatorSalary according to
agreement/collective agreement: NOK 550,000-630,000, depending on
qualificationsContract type: Permanent
Closing date: Tuesday 11th January 2026 at midnightAbout the
PositionBevaringstenestene (The Conservation Department) currently has a
full-time permanent position available for an object or furniture conservator
to join our team of specialists in metal, object, and furniture conservation.
MUHO (Museum Centre in Hordaland) is a consolidated museum consisting of five
departments. We employ 56 skilled staff members in permanent positions, along
with approximately 40 hourly and seasonal employees.
Bevaringstenestene is a department within MuHo that consists of 14 staff,
including experienced collection managers and conservators specialised in
preventive conservation and remedial conservation of objects and textiles, as
well as administrative and operational staff.
Bevaringstenestene is growing. Together with Vestland County Municipality, we
are in the preliminary stages of planning a new Collections Centre featuring
high-quality storage facilities, modern conservation studios, and offices.
The successful candidate will primarily work on conservation projects for
external clients, but will also collaborate with museums across Vestland to
improve collection care-whether in storage, exhibitions, or historic interiors.
Our team includes employees from several countries, and the working languages
are Norwegian and English.
The main workplace is Salhus (approximately 20 km north of Bergen city centre),
but the position requires on-site work at museums and with external clients as
needed. Some travel should be expected.
We are looking for a friendly and motivated individual to join an exciting
professional environment in conservation, which is both growing and evolving.
To read the full job advertisement and apply for the position, click on the
attached link to access our recruitment portal.
Object or Furniture Conservator (280131) | The Museum Centre in Hordaland
(MuHo)
<https://www.jobbnorge.no/en/available-jobs/job/280131/object-or-furniture-conservator>
------------------------------
Torunn Bøe
Head of Conservation Department -Bevaringstenestene
Museumssenteret i Hordaland
Bergen
Norway
------------------------------
6.From: Erin Secord
Posted: Monday January 12, 2026 11:09 AM
Subject: Canadian PCB Regulation Update for Canadian Museums with
PCB-Containing Collections
Message: Clarity for Canadian Museums with PCB-containing collections.
In a nutshell - PCB collections are allowed if safely managed and tracked as
per the reg, but new PCB-containing acquisitions are not permitted. Please
read the regulations for more information.
from ECCC-
On December 31st, 2025, Canada's ministry of Environment and Climate Change
published their Regulations Amending the PCB Regulations and the Regulations
Designating Regulatory Provisions for Purposes of Enforcement (Canadian
Environmental Protection Act, 1999) in the Canada Gazette, Part II.
The objective of the Regulations Amending the PCB Regulations and the
Regulations Designating Regulatory Provisions for Purposes of Enforcement (the
Amendments) is to provide flexibility for the use and storage of certain
PCB-containing equipment under specific circumstances that were not foreseen
when the PCB Regulations came into force and during subsequent amendments.
ECCC invites you to review the Amendments, found here: Canada Gazette, Part 2,
Volume 159, Number 27: Regulations Amending the PCB Regulations and the
Regulations Designating Regulatory Provisions for Purposes of Enforcement
(Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999)
<https://us-west-2.protection.sophos.com?d=gazette.gc.ca&u=aHR0cHM6Ly9nYXpldHRlLmdjLmNhL3JwLXByL3AyLzIwMjUvMjAyNS0xMi0zMS9odG1sL3Nvci1kb3JzMjczLWVuZy5odG1s&i=NThkZTdjNzQwNGMyZDkwZmI2OTk3YTUz&t=bkhMeUxmNU51RnRXNXorVWpwdXMyYnpkS2MzMXFTendjWmh4U0NoQytVcz0=&h=a9a078efd7004d3a96b83138b5826bab&s=AVNPUEhUT0NFTkNSWVBUSVZupd-NQVSh0hxQYCfOTkL-4A01cyWVOZVOOUQoAkfIZQ>
------------------------------
Erin Secord
Manager, Conservation
Ingenium - Canada's Museums of Science and Innovation
Ottawa, Canada
------------------------------
7.From: Sarah Saetren
Posted: Monday January 12, 2026 11:09 AM
Subject: Free Preventive Conservation Assessments Webinars
Message:
FAIC is presenting a free webinar series on Preventive Conservation
Assessments.
<https://learning.culturalheritage.org/products/preventive-conservation-assessments-webinar-series>
In a general preventive conservation assessment, two preservation
professionals provide an overview of an institution's collections, buildings,
and building systems, as well as policies and procedures related to collections
care. The assessment can help the institution prioritize their collections care
needs, facilitate the development of a long-range preservation plan, and serve
as an advocacy and fundraising tool for future collections stewardship
improvement projects. FAIC recently partnered with the Getty Conservation
Institute to develop a Preventive Conservation Assessment Model as a
much-needed update to the 1999 Getty publication The Conservation Assessment: A
Proposed Model for Evaluating Museum Environmental Management Needs. The
resource introduces new topics to consider in an assessment, such
as balancing environmental sustainability with collections environmental needs
and considerations for culturally sensitive collections. This online webinar
series will discuss current best practices and how to incorporate these new
considerations into preventive conservation assessments.
Session 1: Goals of the Conservation Assessment and Working with a Co-assessor
(January 21)
Session 2: Cultural Considerations (January 23)
Session 3: Identifying Underlying Causes of Collections Care Concerns (January
28)
Session 4: Sustainability (February 18)
Registration to participate is free. The webinar sessions will take place in
Zoom and automated captions will be available. The sessions will be recorded.
Register here:
https://learning.culturalheritage.org/products/preventive-conservation-assessments-webinar-series
------------------------------
Sarah Saetren
FAIC Education Manager
------------------------------
8.From: Sigrid Eyb-Green
Posted: Monday January 12, 2026 11:10 AM
Subject: Call for Papers: Case Studies Special Issue - Journal for the
Preservation of Library and Archival Material (JPLAM)
Message: Call for Papers: Special Issue on Case Studies
We are delighted to announce that the Journal for the Preservation of Library
and Archival Material (formerly known as Restaurator) is now fully Open Access!
This milestone ensures our research reaches the widest possible audience,
strengthening global exchange in conservation science and practice.
The Journal invites submissions for a special thematic issue dedicated to
paradigmatic case studies in the conservation of paper-based materials,
scheduled for publication in Volume 47, Issue 4 (2026).
What We Seek
We seek contributions that illuminate conservation decision-making processes
through critical reflexivity. Submissions should demonstrate and examine how
and why conservators choose particular intervention levels, making explicit the
often implicit reasoning that guides professional practice. These paradigmatic
case studies should offer methodological frameworks that enable colleagues to
address similar challenges in their own contexts.
Ideal Contributions Should:
Present specific conservation problems alongside their solutions
Provide methodological frameworks applicable to similar challenges in other
contexts
Articulate the factors influencing treatment decisions: material condition,
functional requirements, institutional context, historical background, and
ethical considerations
Demonstrate transparency that enables professional discourse and knowledge
transfer
Discuss challenges and limitations encountered in the decision-making process
Address materials including paper, parchment, and related organic substrates
Be of international interest while welcoming contributions from lesser-studied
cultural contexts
Submission Details
Submission deadline: July 1, 2026
Manuscript length: No strict requirements; concise contributions preferred.
Authors of manuscripts exceeding 10,000 words may be asked to shorten their
submissions.
Language: Articles in English with abstracts in both English and German
Submission portal: https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/rest
<https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/rest>
For inquiries regarding this special issue or general submissions:
Ute Henniges: [email protected]
Sigrid Eyb-Green: [email protected]
------------------------------
Sigrid Eyb-Green
Head of Paper Conservation
Institute for Conservation-Restoration
Academy of Fine Arts
Vienna
+43 664 1764830
------------------------------
9.From: Noelle Streeton
Posted: Monday January 12, 2026 2:47 PM
Subject: PhD Fellowship at the University of Oslo
Message:
A Doctoral Research Fellowship in Heritage Conservation is available at the
Department of Archaeology, Conservation and History, University of Oslo. The
position is connected to the ERC-funded project, POLYCHROME The Survival of
Damaged Medieval Polychromed Heritage in the Nordics. Candidates should propose
a project that investigates, in one form or another, histories of restoration
of medieval panel paintings and polychrome sculptures from Scandinavian
churches.
Possible themes are set out in the advertisement
https://www.jobbnorge.no/en/available-jobs/job/293063/doctoral-research-fellowship-sko-1017-in-heritage-conservation
<https://www.jobbnorge.no/en/available-jobs/job/293063/doctoral-research-fellowship-sko-1017-in-heritage-conservation>.
The application deadline is 22 March 2026, with a start date in Oslo in August
2026. Please contact me (Nolle Streeton) at [email protected]
<[email protected]> with questions about the position.
N.L.W. Streeton, PhD, FIIC
Professor of Conservation
Department of Archaeology, Conservation & History, University of Oslo
T: +47 22859323 / M: +47 99321185
PI, POLYCHROME "The Survival of Damaged Medieval Heritage in the Nordics"
(ERC, 20242029)
https://www.hf.uio.no/iakh/english/research/projects/polychrome/index.html
<https://www.hf.uio.no/iakh/english/research/projects/polychrome/index.html>
Sacred Medieval Objects and Their Afterlives in Scandinavia (Leiden: Brill,
2025) https://brill.com/display/title/70835
<https://brill.com/display/title/70835>
10.From: Diane Tafilowski
Posted: Monday January 12, 2026 2:48 PM
Subject: Use of Hextol and Methylene Chloride for Plexiglass Repair
Message:
I'm looking for a source to purchase Hextol and Methylene Chloride for
repairing a break in plexiglass. Being a small business no one wants to ship
to me. Does anyone have any resources/ideas?
Thank you in advance!
--
Diane Tafilowski
617-999-0919 <tel:617-999-0919>
[email protected] <[email protected]>
11.From: Celia Chari
Posted: Monday January 12, 2026 6:24 PM
Subject: Materials Science Pioneers in Art and Archaeology Webinar Series
Message: I am pleased to announce a new monthly webinar series hosted by the
Art, Archaeology and Conservation Science Division of the American Ceramics
Society, titled Materials Science Pioneers in Art and Archaeology Webinar
Series.
Please join us for our debut on January 23rd at 12 pm ET (5 pm GMT / 6 pm CET),
as we welcome our first speaker of the season: Dr. Clément Holé, who is
currently a beamline scientist at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility
(ESRF). Dr. Holé's talk will be on:
Exploring the Material Science Aspects of Tea Drinking During the Song Dynasty
(960-1279)
Registration is required to attend, but at no cost to all.
Hope to see you there (bringing your own cup of tea is optional, but highly
recommended)!
Please register for this event: Art, Archaeology & Conservation Science
Division Materials Science Pioneers in Art and Archaeology Webinar Series:
Exploring the Material Science Aspects of Tea Drinking During the Song Dynasty
(960-1279) - The American Ceramic Society
<https://ceramics.org/course/art-archaeology-conservation-science-division-materials-science-pioneers-in-art-and-archaeology-webinar-series-exploring-the-material-science-aspects-of-tea-drinking-during-the-song-dynasty-960-1/>
Abstract:
Tea is one of the most widely consumed beverages worldwide, with billions of
people enjoying it daily. Depending on the culture and the social trends, tea
has been, and still is, served in a wide variety of ware, including cups,
bowls, mugs and glasses. This diversity reflects the aesthetic preferences of
tea enthusiasts, who desire to savour every drop and to fully appreciate the
experience, as well as craftspeople who manufacture the vessels into reality.
In his presentation, Dr. Clément Holé will focus on the bowls manufactured for
tea drinking under the Song Dynasty (960-1279): a key period for the
consumption of this beverage. First he will introduce how the aesthetic
preferences of tea drinkers influenced craftspeople to develop a new material:
the ε-Fe2O3 brown-coloured glazes. He will then explore why this rare phase is
so widespread in these productions and how understanding its growth mechanism
can offer insights on the firing processes used in different kilns across the
Song Empire. This study aims at providing an overview on Song black-to-brown
glazes, from the material to the social aspects of these productions. This
presentation may be best enjoyed with the appropriate beverage, so participants
are encouraged to join with their favourite tea ware and tea during this
webinar.
Speaker Biography:
Dr. Clément Holé is an engineer from Chimie ParisTech, PSL University, and
holds a PhD in materials science from Toulouse University (France). During his
doctoral studies, he worked on the growth of ε-Fe2O3, an uncommon ferric oxide,
in Chinese brown-glazed ceramics. In 2023, he joined the ESRF in Grenoble
(France) as a post-doctoral researcher on the ID21 beamline, which is dedicated
to micro-/nano-X-ray microscopy and spectroscopy. His work involves applying
micro-analytical synchrotron techniques to investigate the manufacturing
processes and the physical properties of heritage objects. Additionally, his
activities at the ESRF include developing data processing methods, providing
support and training to international users from various scientific fields as a
local contact, and coordinating the Historical Materials "Block Allocation
Group" (BAG) to facilitate beamtime access for structural investigations of
historical materials within the Cultural Heritage community. He was
promoted to beamline scientist at ID21 in 2025.
Dr. Holé's research focusses on exploring the fundamental aspects and the
physico-chemical mechanisms related to the manufacturing of heritage objects.
His goal is to utilise this knowledge to document the history of techniques and
understand complex materials. To achieve this, he applies a range of
complementary advanced analytical and imaging techniques. His research has
extended to collaborations with several academic and museum institutions, such
as the Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, the Universitat
Politècnica de Catalunya BarcelonaTECH, The British Museum or the University of
Turin for instance.
------------------------------
Celia S. Chari
Conservation Scientist
Mapping Color in History, Harvard University
Based in Washington D.C.
United States
------------------------------
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