CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY OF NIGERIAN MUSIUM

THE existence of the museum depends greatly on its collections which are of inestimable value. The museum has several purposes and functions of which the crucial one is conservation. The major purpose of conservation is to ensure that the collections of the museum are preserved and made available for future generation.

Tourists in front of the Apartheid museum. Pix by Jimoh Babatunde

Edet (1990:90) defines conservation as a “means by which cultural property are protected from decay and damage. In her own view, Kerri (1994:12) sees conservation as the technical and scientific activities for the treatment and continuous care of objects as… well as monuments.

On the other hand, a museum, defined by ICOM, 2002, as a non-profit making, permanent institution in the service of society and its development, and open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits, for purpose of study, education and enjoyment, material evidence of people and their environment.

Types of Conservation

Basically, there are two types of conservation;

1.Preventive conservation

2.Curative conservation

Preventive Conservation

In recent times, the emphasis is on preventive conservation because it attempts to prevent decay/damage from occurring. Preventive conservation is a process that seeks to nip in the bud or mitigate the effect of all the factors that, everyday, threaten an object’s continued survival. It requires a holistic attitude which includes a constant evaluation of how objects are stored, treated, handled, displayed and maintained.

Preventive conservation is to keep objects/collections or monuments safe from harm or maintain them etc. so as to prevent their destruction (Okpoko, 2006). Preventive conservation is a strategic enterprise driven by a museum’s primary purpose that cannot be introduced without planning.

This type of conservation includes integrated pest and climatic control around the objects, storage facilities and buildings. It also includes regular museum maintenance and identification of the agents of deterioration. It is also described as being the application of common sense measures.

Curative Conservation

This type of conservation has varieties of names. It is also known as remedial, active and intervention conservation. Here, the damage of object has already occurred, before conservation work is introduced. That is why it is also regarded as intervention conservation. Curative conservation is expensive to carry out. It is only used when the existence of the collection or object is threatened by damage or total lost.

Responsibility of a conservator: The activity/responsibility of a conservator consist of-Technical examination, Preservation and Conservation/Restoration of cultural property Conservation Management: This refers to the art or skill employed to achieve expected results and meet required objectives through the efforts of the conservator.

It is the duty of the conservators responsible for the management of the collections to be aware that maintenance of information is very essential for understanding and use of the collections. An established procedure for regular assessment of the conditions of the collections and their maintenance must be put in place. Good storage space and well equipped laboratory to prevent damages should also be provided.

The collections should be accessible and the physical care must be of professional standards. Every treatment is an intervention. Minimal treatment is preferred; this leaves an object closer to its original appearance, presents a lesser risk and affords the opportunity to await a better treatment technology. The purposes for treatment of objects are to stabilise for storage; to clean for exhibition; to repair after infestation; and to reverse previous treatment.

Before, during and after treatment, detailed description of the condition of the object is recorded using the condition and treatment report format, documentation of the treatment of object is also recorded.

Understanding Museum Environment: A museum conservator should have an understanding of the museum environment in which the objects are housed. The museum environment centres on the buildings, (internal and external) the collections in storage and galleries. Environmental factors like temperature, relative humidity; light; pest infestation; natural and handling affects the collections.

It is the responsibility of the conservator to preserve collections in storage for now and future use. Museum collections are preserved in storage not only to protect them from theft, but also to protect them from adverse atmospheric conditions. The idea in handling is to convey the object’s essence and its physical integrity.

Unnecessary and inappropriate handling leads to breakage, abrasion and damaged. Awareness of proper handling, storage and display methods will result in better care and preservation of the collection.

CONSERVATION PRACTICE:-A good conservation practice involves planning strategies that will enhance and promote the practice to become more efficient. Fundamentally, all heritage preservation including that relating to museum collections, depends on two stages of decision-making.

a)Selection: Within the resources available to the museum, what can and should be preserved? b)Evaluating and managing outcomes using human and other resources to reduce future damage.

Some of the suggested strategies would include:

• Produce a preventive conservation strategy policy plan.
• Ensure the training of conservation personnel with practical skills and abilities for work in conservation practice.
• Ensuring a good conservation practice of recording the inventory, documentation and condition reports of objects before, during and after treatment.
• Develop a conservation policy for environmental regulation through :

i    The introduction of pest management and control programme

ii   Emergency preparedness.

The recommended issues stated above cannot be implemented without some challenges.

One conspicuous challenge in conservation practice is finance i.e. lack of funds to execute programme for conservators. The inability of conservators to make proper choice, select priorities, use initiative and improvisation in their performance to get best results in a particular situation.

The worth of team-work with other museum professions is immeasurable, because better and more efficient results are obtained, therefore this should be encouraged. Good environmental management and sustainable development are necessary for a sustaianable museum growth.

Due to growing demand for professionalism by conservators, periodic training of conservation personnel should be carried out. Alongside, lack of an equipped and functional conservation laboratory should be re-considered. The specific role of the different museum professionals (conservation, curator, exhibition, etc.) should be properly redefined within a particular museum to enhance efficient team-work CONCLUSION:-

Developing conservation capabilities and efficiency requires improved skills in conservation practice. It is an anticipated behaviour for museums to create a preventive conservation strategy policy plan which provides guidelines for conservation practice and techniques. Proper training of staff will make them appreciate the need for good conservation practice thereby reducing damage of objects.

Finally, the conservators should remember that basic practical improvements such as using padded trays, for carrying objects, separating overcrowded objects in storage, isolating infested objects, good management and control of pest infestation and proper monitoring of environmental factors like temperature, relative humidity, light, etc, are easily implemented short-term measures for conservation in the museum.