Conservation at The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

Conservators are highly trained professionals responsible for the preservation of The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation's vast collection of decorative arts, artifacts, archaeological objects, and folk art. They apply their unique skills and knowledge to ensure future generations can appreciate and study the past.

Conservators hold graduate degrees in art conservation and have backgrounds in studio art, art history, and chemistry—blending creativity, historical knowledge, and science in every decision.

Conservators unlock information in collection materials. This is done through careful examination, cleaning, imaging (using x-rays, infra-red, or other light energy), microscopy, instrumental analysis, and historical research.

Conservators minimize changes to an object’s original materials and carefully document every step. Treatments are made reversible whenever possible, so future conservators—with new methods and an understanding of previous work—can uncover even more information.

The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation has a robust Conservation department to address both interventive and preventive conservation for the millions of items in its care.

Interventive conservation refers to hands-on treatments like cleaning, mending, or restoring missing structural or visual elements. It requires balancing science, art skills, and knowledge of historical techniques. A light touch is preferred, using methods and materials identifiable to future conservators.

Preventive conservation is the “wellness program” for collections. Light, humidity, pests, and improper handling can cause damage. Careful dusting and managing the collection's environment keeps agents of deterioration at bay and reduces the need for interventive treatment.

The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation has nine specialist conservation laboratories that each manage an aspect of the collection, from easel paintings to silver teapots. One laboratory focuses solely on scientific analysis, and another on preventive conservation.

Conservators regularly collaborate with one another since many collection objects are made up of more than one type of material. Conservation expertise also supports activities carried out by archaeologists, architectural historians, and historic trades.

The Paintings Lab cares for American, British, and European Paintings from the 18th century to today. Paintings conservators use microscopes, imaging, and specialized equipment to study and treat easel paintings and various painted surfaces from the past.

Prints, maps, manuscripts, drawings, and wallpaper are treated in the Paper Lab. The range of approaches can include new framing or mounting, or more interventive treatments like tear mending, humidification, or even bathing to clean and stabilize fragile works on paper.

Upholstery Lab conservators preserve early upholstery and study tiny clues–like fabric scraps and nail holes–to understand how furniture once appeared. Innovative methods, like building new non-intrusive upholstery, preserve evidence while restoring the item’s historic appearance.

Historic clothing, quilts, needlework, carpets, and curtains are treated in the Textile Lab. Fragile fabrics often require cleaning, stabilization, and preparation for display or storage. Conservators help design custom storage solutions and prepare display mounts to safely present the garments and textiles in the collection.

Conservators in the Objects Lab are responsible for a broad range of historic artifacts. They include metalware, ceramics, glassware, leather, basketry, jewelry, armor, weapons and Folk Art objects like sculpture, weathervanes, signs, and toys.

Conservators in the Archaeological Materials Lab treat artifacts excavated from Colonial Williamsburg's Historic Area and surrounding sites. Their meticulous conservation of long-buried objects helps archaeologists understand the history of this region and the people who lived here.

Furniture, musical instruments, frames, architectural fragments, and more are studied and treated in the Wooden Artifacts Lab, which combines conservation treatment and research with woodworking and metalworking expertise.

Preventive conservators work throughout buildings, museums, and storage areas to slow down deterioration using varied approaches like dusting and checking collection spaces for pests or mold.

They also monitor the temperature, light, relative humidity, and more in museum environments; build protective storage for objects; and help install exhibitions in the Historic Area and the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg.

The Materials Analysis Lab uses advanced scientific tools to study what objects are made of, how they were created, and how they’ve changed over time—helping conservators design effective treatments and deepening our understanding of the past.

Conservators at The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation protect the physical evidence of America’s history—so these objects can continue to teach, inspire, and spark new questions for generations to come.