The Conservation Laboratory at Mintlaw

Freezer Objects coming into the Store, whether newly acquired, transferred from an off-site store or being removed from exhibition at one of the Aberdeenshire Museums, are taken into the Conservation Laboratory for examination. They come first to the Workshop, where there is a large roller shutter door for ease of unloading. There they are unpacked and inspected. They are then taken to the lab, either directly, or if there is any likelihood of the objects harbouring any insect pests, eggs or larvae, via one of the store’s freezers. Freezing is a useful and non-toxic way of ensuring that organic objects do not harbour live pests which might infest the rest of the collections.

Freezer We have four chest freezers for small objects, and one walk-in freezer for larger ones. The last has a door leading to the workshop, and a second into the lab. All the freezers are capable of reaching temperatures below -40°C; the chest freezers are operated manually, while the walk-in one is programmed to run in a five-day cycle, cooling down and warming up again in a controlled manner.

Objects which are too delicate to freeze may be quarantined by sealing them in a plastic box for several months, then inspected for signs of infestation.

Once the objects have been frozen, quarantined or declared free from pests, they go into the lab.

There are two well-equipped conservation laboratories at the Store, which are known as the Dirty lab and the Clean lab.

The Dirty lab is where work is carried out on large objects, usually agricultural equipment or other items which may have been stored off-site and need a good clean before being taken into the cleaner areas of the building. The Clean lab is where smaller objects are treated, in more conventional laboratory surroundings. Both labs have large sinks and adjustable dust extractors; the Clean lab has in addition a fume hood to extract solvent vapours, a washing machine, dryer and plenty of storage for materials.

Laboratory The Clean Lab is in the process of being equipped with all the necessary apparatus required in a modern Conservation lab. We have good basic facilities in the form of benches, a good binocular microscope and an oven, and are building up our supplies of packing materials, adhesives and solvents, and all the smaller tools and consumables needed to look after the Museum’s objects.

Aberdeenshire Heritage employs one conservator, who is responsible for inspecting the objects, packing and storing them correctly, and ensuring that the conditions in the store are as close to ideal as possible. Interventive work is also carried out in the labs, although objects requiring specialised treatment such as textiles and paintings may be sent to external conservators.

Here is an example of the work Catherine McConnell, our Conservator does,