HSCI-340: Intro to Art Conservation

This course provides a global overview of the interdisciplinary fields of art conservation and world heritage preservation. The investigation, treatment, and management of art collections, archaeology, archives, and architecture face diverse challenges ranging from climate change and globalization to air pollution, overtourism, art crime and repatriation claims. The subject also raises fundamental questions of cultural sustainability: What physical legacy of our culture do we want to pass on to the future? How can we prolong the lifespan of a cherished object? How do we provide access to cultural heritage and its ongoing conservation, interpretation, research, and management? What tangible or intangible elements of culture should we work to sustain and why?