About our conservation studios
Our Conservation Studios are an essential part of High Life Highland’s heritage services. Located at the Highland Archive Centre in Inverness and the Highland Folk Museum in Newtonmore, these fully equipped studios are staffed by experienced, professionally trained, accredited conservators who are are proud to be listed on the Conservation Register.
What we do
Our team provides specialist services for:
- Inverness Museum and Art Gallery
- Highland Folk Museum collections
- Four Highland Archive Service repositories in Inverness, Caithness, Lochaber, and Skye & Lochalsh
We also offer conservation solutions for external clients and private individuals, ensuring historic documents and artifacts receive the highest level of care.
Preservation and conservation
Prevention is better than cure—this principle is at the heart of our work to safeguard artifacts in museums and archives. Many factors can accelerate the natural aging process of objects and organic materials such as paintings, paper, leather, and parchment. Poor handling, inadequate packaging, and unsuitable environmental conditions are just a few examples.
Fortunately, there are effective measures to slow this process. These include:
- Duplication of fragile items
- Inert packaging for long-term protection
- Good housekeeping practices
- Controlled environmental conditions
All of these form part of a robust preservation strategy.
Preventive conservation
Our Conservation Studios actively manage and monitor environmental, biological, and physical factors that affect the stability of collections. We provide expert advice on:
- Object handling and storage
- Environmental management, including Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
- Materials and methods for exhibition and display
Conservation treatment
When damage occurs, conservation treatment may be necessary. This process begins with a careful assessment by a conservator in consultation with the custodian. Treatments often involve cleaning and repair, carried out with:
- High levels of skill and experience
- Reversible and sympathetic techniques
- Archival-quality materials
Our goal is to ensure repairs are compatible, evident, and preserve the integrity of the original artifact.
