Why Conserve Photographs?

Photographs provide us with a window into the past. They are visual documents of historic moments, loved-ones, past generations of our family, artistic vision, and more. They are more than just documentary evidence of a moment, they have given generations or our culture unparalleled access to the past since their introduction in the 1830s. And while photographs are often thought of as a way of preserving a moment, capturing it forever in black and white and even in color, all photographs fade and deteriorate over time.

Photograph conservators specialize in understanding how the various types of photographs age, performing state of the art conservation treatments, and ensuring that photographs are stored properly to ensure their long-term preservation. In this mission they work with their colleagues from many related fields including conservation scientists, archivists, curators, and collections managers.