Art and science are sometimes seen as opposites but they come together in the Conservation Center at LACMA. In on-site laboratories, teams of specialists examine and treat works of art, using sophisticated technology and bringing to each object their clinical training and experience.

LACMA’s Conservation Center was established in 1967, two years after the museum opened. It was the first conservation department on the West Coast, a testament to the commitment of the museum’s director and board of trustees to preserving, protecting, studying, and interpreting the collection. From these pioneering beginnings, the center has grown to encompass six areas of conservation expertise: paintings, textiles, paper, objects, research, and, most recently, laser research. Its staff of more than twenty-five includes conservators, scientists, technicians, fellows, interns, photographers, and administrators.

These highly trained professionals collaborate closely with other museum departments to care for both the permanent collection and works on loan from other institutions. Their diverse responsibilities include documenting condition, diagnosing problems, and recommending repairs; monitoring the museum environment to ensure that appropriate temperature, humidity, and light levels are maintained; and establishing procedures for safe storage and transport. Conservation projects also supplement and augment art-historical research. Beyond the daily challenges of preserving and studying the museum’s encyclopedic collections, the center is committed to developing and testing innovative conservation tools and methods.

Since its inception, the Conservation Center has maintained a research division staffed with scientists trained in chemistry, mineralogy, and physics, among other disciplines. In the center’s laboratories, science and art come face to face as researchers apply sophisticated analytical technologies to works from the museum's collections. A primary role of conservation science is to identify materials and techniques. This basic information is critical to collecting, studying, exhibiting, and conserving art. Scientific examination may be used to confirm a work’s age or authenticity, or supplement art-historical theories—and is essential to developing treatment and preservation protocols.

The combination of practical and theoretical conservation expertise makes the center particularly valuable as a training facility. Over the years, students at all academic levels have worked with LACMA staff in the paintings, textiles, paper, objects and research sections. These educational programs are designed to benefit both students and the museum, and include pre- and postgraduate fellowships and internships, as well as volunteer training opportunities.  

Image above:
Photograph by Yosi Pozeilov, LACMA

RESEARCH CENTERS
tel 323 857-6059
fax 323 857-6213
reneem@lacma.org