Restoring and Protecting Against Water Damage on Paintings in Rainy Southern California

Have recent bouts of rain in Southern California led to water damage on your cherished paintings? Are you noticing troubling signs such as mold, flaking, blistering, discoloration, or warping on your artwork? Fear not! This article is tailored to assist you.

While rainy weather benefits the environment, it can pose a risk to artworks. Understanding how to identify and prevent water damage is vital for art collectors. Such damage is often subtle, emphasizing the importance of early detection to preserve your valuable pieces. Here's a guide to help you navigate potential risks, safeguard your art, and collaborate with art conservation professionals.

Here’s an example of water damage on paintings: stains, vast areas of fogged or bloomed varnish and crystallization of varnish resin.

Detecting Water Damage:

Water damage to paintings can manifest in various ways, including discoloration, warping, and mold growth. Keep a vigilant eye on changes in the paint surface, like flaking or blistering, as these may indicate exposure to moisture. Discoloration, appearing as yellow or brown stains, is another water damage sign. Check the back of the artwork for mold, thriving in damp conditions. If you notice any of these signs, take prompt action and consult with an art conservation professional.

Preventing Water Damage:

Effective prevention starts with proper storage and display. Ensure artworks avoid direct contact with walls and keep them away from windows and doors where water might seep in. Maintain stable humidity levels in your art storage space, as fluctuations can contribute to water damage. During rainy seasons, use dehumidifiers and inspect the storage area for leaks. Regularly assess your roof and windows to prevent water intrusion.

Climate control is very important for preventing water damage on paintings

Collaborating with Art Conservation Professionals:

If you suspect water damage on paintings or other artworks, promptly consult with an art conservation professional. Each conservation/restoration project is unique, requiring an expert to determine appropriate treatments. Conservators possess the expertise to assess damage extent and recommend suitable restoration measures. When contacting a conservator, provide detailed artwork information, including dimensions, history, current condition, and noticeable changes. Clear communication ensures the conservator understands your artwork's unique needs.

Professional art conservators have the expertise to mitigate the effects of water damage on paintings and other artworks

Tip Summary:

Identifying Water Damage: Learn to spot signs like discoloration, warping, and mold growth.

Preventive Measures: Protect your art with proper storage, stable humidity levels, and regular maintenance.

Consulting Conservators: Engage with art conservation professionals promptly for expert assessment and restoration.

Has the water already gotten to your artwork? Fine Art Conservation Laboratories can help with your insurance claim! 

Fine Art Conservation Laboratories’ 45 years of expertise in preserving and restoring art offers invaluable help and practical knowledge for helping people through the insurance claim process for damaged collectibles and art pieces. Our experienced team understands the complexities of insurance claims related to art, heirlooms, and antiques, providing reports that are properly prepared with information that the insurance company never puts in doubt. Fine Art Conservation Laboratories charges flat fees for this work, not a percentage of the claim settlement, and our expertise is honored nationwide. Let us help make the art, heirloom, and collectible part of the insurance claim process as seamless as possible and preserve your peace of mind. See this article for a couple short stories about art owners’ journey with insurance claim and fire/ water damage. Please call 805-564-3438 if you have questions or would like to schedule a consultation with our expert art conservators. 

This blog post has been syndicated at ExpertClick.com. What does it mean that this article is “ syndicated”?

It’s a bit of a coup to get an article syndicated, and its certainly prestigious, as additional “proof” that the info and the author are considered far and wide authoritative and an expert in the field. So, enjoy and trust our content!! This article was syndicated for USA national redistribution.

When something is published, usually by a news source, and is made available through different venues for redistribution then it is said to be syndicated. Publications that are syndicated are usually considered of value as being from an expert, educational, new worthy or valuable for wide popular interest. See syndication page at the renowned publicity site: https://www.expertclick.com/NRWire/

This website’s syndication included:

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2) Included in the ‘Speaker Bureau Platform Page.’

3) Shown on the front page of ExpertClick, in rotation with other most recent posts.

4) Shown in the ‘News Release Results page.’

5) Included on optimized for searches on all my topics of expertise.

6) Shown via RSS linked from the Press Room. (A specific way news is actively distributed within the industry)

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8) Syndicated to LexisNexis.com As of 2006, the company had the world’s largest electronic database for legal and public-records related information, distributor of academic content and expert opinion.

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How I Got To Restore Art For The Most Famous Man In The World

What is even more interesting is that this unlikely connection was made at the beggining of my carreer y first private client was the family estate of the most famous man in the world and it was the beginning of working with people long distance By Scott M. Haskins   This blog post has been syndicated at ExpertClick.com. What does it mean that this article is “ syndicated”? See details at end of this blog post. Posted on July 8, 2023 about a look-back at events of 1977-78

As I write this and post it, I am in Florence, Italy looking over a job for the US Consulate/Embassy who are concerned about cracks in affrescoes in the historical building where the Consulate is located, poor quality previous restorations, removing repainting over historical paintings and design details. Its been 45 years since I finished my upper division studies in painting conservation here in Italy and I have been thinking about some of the circumstances that got me started in my profession. Let me tell you about three foundational experiences that proved to be important for my future and that will tweek your interest if you are into art, historic preservation, art restoration, Italy etc… and a good story. I’m often asked how I got started. So, here I am in 1977  (45 years ago)…

I was approaching the end of my three-year master’s degree level, fine art conservation program (1978) at a Lombardy Regional satellite center of the Istituto Centrale di Restauro in Rome. In addition, I considered my efforts to experience “extracurricular work” a supplement to my formal program work, which, justifiably, was not production oriented and was very slow paced. In an attempt to see a balanced picture of the art conservation profession, I had applied and been hired at a local “hack shop” restoration bottega, where they were specialized in quick, cheap work and low prices. It seemed Sig. Bertoldi liked me but given my newly acquired academic and professional practical skills, I was not as quick to complete tasks as he wanted, and I refused to clean paintings with a mop, figuratively speaking. His techniques and speed at cleaning paintings, especially 19th century art, often resulted in extensive damage to the painting’s original paint layers in the process, and then his shop just re-painted… it was a good education about “the other side of the tracks.” Soon after the employment with Signor Bertoldi ended, a coworker from the bottega referred a client to me for work to be done on my own. I felt ready to “give it” a try. It seemed my friend from the bottega must have said some kind things about me because my new client, Mr. Montini did not seem uneasy about working with me. I thought it was interesting that, even though he lived outside of town that he would drive an hour on a two-lane country road to come and see me… and he didn’t seem too bothered to do it again to pick up his restored item when I was finished. He was obviously very pleased with my work, and maybe that helped him justify the travel time and effort. He then, enthusiastically, invited me to come to his house and look over some other things that could be restored. So, my first private transaction was a big success. Now it was my turn to negotiate the two-lane country road, up a valley and through small towns just north of Brescia, Italy. The Valletrompia today may be one of the areas of Italy with the highest per capita income due to the numerous cottage industries of international renown. It has had an active population consisting of many towns since at least medieval times and was probably in an active transit corridor during Roman times. Within the year, I would be coming up this road again to undertake a project on behalf of my formal art conservation training program. At the top end of the pre-alpine valley is the town Lumezzane, and in the Romanesque-turned-Renaissance parish Church, I was given an affresco to work on as part of my master’s degree final exam.

But a ways before the end of the valley is the small, sleepy, poorly lit, non-descript town of Concesio. It was late in the afternoon before I arrived, and it was suggested that I arrive before it gets dark, or I would never find my way around town (decades before GPS was invented). The detailed directions brought me to a large unlit residential compound, that was the only construction on its side of the street and left little room for a sidewalk along the narrow street with its 3 story wall and the huge front door, all very plain and very old…  I was thinking, probably at least 300 years old. Although, big, exclusive, and ancient, it was not at all architecturally or artistically noteworthy. In fact, everything could’ve used a cleaning and some fresh paint.

Mr. Montini, himself, answered the front door with a smile and a handshake, dressed as before, in well used, casual clothing, and welcomed me inside.  I walked into the predictably cold interior of the huge, cavernous, dimly lit, poorly heated, rooms. My previously restored item had a place of honor in the huge hallway by the front door. Perhaps that was its downfall as the cleaning lady kept this area, looking better than the rest of the house, and had accidentally knocked it to the floor. Mr. Montini was very nice and made several nice comments and noted my work as we walked by. As soon as I entered the house, I already had a broken neck noting everywhere, practically, that the walls were full of framed paintings and textiles. The artwork was displayed, hung gallery style, from the baseboard to the crown molding on absolutely every wall of the house and the ceilings had affrescoes.  The paintings were hung only inches apart and covered completely the 10-15 foot walls of the hallways, large rooms and every room and passageway that I could see as we passed. They even covered the walls of the bathroom I visited. I’m not exaggerating when I say that there were literally thousands of paintings small to very large (today, the residence has been made into a memorial and museum and appears MUCH different than when I visited). Mr. Montini of course, was not trying to impress me, nor satisfy my kid in the candy store look on my face. He was nice and conversational, but he did not seem to know a lot about the artwork or furnishings and made no effort to turn on special lights to show better the art as collectors like to do when they have visitors. After we got past “the pleasantries” and he got to know me a little better, he divulged that I was sitting in the family estate of the ancient and powerful Montini family and the childhood home of Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini, the present/current day most famous man in the world… Pope Saint Paul VI, presently, at that time, in authority in the Vatican.

The Mr. Montini in front of me, was a cousin, and had been appointed by the family as the caretaker of the estate. He told me all this matter of factually with no flair or need of recognition. In fact, I had the sense that the whole thing bored him terribly! It was a nice visit, and when it was over, I left the house with a darkly painted 18th century oval portrait of an ancestor count or duke or something or other. Thinking back on that project portrait he gave me, it was probably a test, once again, to see the quality of my work. While the work on the painting was fairly straightforward visually, oval portraits can sometimes be tricky when doing structural work.

Apparently, I passed my test with flying colors and he was enthusiastic about the results of the painting conservation treatments when I delivered his painting on my second visit. We sat and had cookies and hot chocolate, while I was encouraged to tell my story, and he enjoyed inquiring about my opinions about how to resolve the problems of the world. But we did not talk about art! I guess by this time I was fully vetted and my work appeared to him to be of high enough quality that he enjoyed the expression on my face when he consigned to me a 4’ x 2’ painting on canvas of a male clothed figure painted in the mid 1500’s by Paolo Veronese (I think he told me that someone in the family bought it directly from the artist! It looks stylistically as if it came from the planning of San Sebastiano in Venice)

Wow. I thought it strange, though, that despite the fame and value of the painting he gave to me to work on, he never checked in on me, or asked to visit me during the couple of months it took me to return the work to him. Also, interesting to me was the trust that he gave my professional opinion about what needed to be done and without question, agreed to everything I suggested. And that was the beginning of working autonomously in my new profession of art conservation. It was 100% a positive experience and a good start. If this is your first time on this blog, poke around to see other interesting articles, videos, testimonials. There are pull down menus under the rotating photos in the header of the website. Please leave this article a "thumbs up" at the top of the page and a comment at the bottom of the page. Thanks! Want to know more about Fine Art Conservation Laboratories today? Our firm, Fine Art Conservation Laboratories (FACL, Inc.) is called in often to clean, preserve, restore and even remove and reinstall murals, treat water damage on paintings, stop and preserve paintings with flaking, repair rips, stop cracking and much more For general mural conservation capabilities videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ld4l6EG8T-I&index=13&list=PLE1FF71CC598A8E79 For our mural capability statement: http://www.fineartconservationlab.com/mural/ For our mural consultation statement: http://www.fineartconservationlab.com/consultations/ Our mural conservation videos on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE1FF71CC598A8E79 If you have questions, call:  Scott M. Haskins 805 570 4140    faclartdoc@gmail.com  Or Virginia Panizzon, Veteran Art Conservator 805 564 3438 office p.s.  If you would like to know more about what you can do to protect and preserve your original family history items, collectibles and memorabilia click on this link for a free copy of Scott M. Haskins book Save Your Stuff – Collection Care Tips, 210 pages with 35 embedded how-to videos. p.s.s. CLICK HERE for our YouTube channel - Subscribe!  See quick video on Discovering Hidden Signatures on Paintings! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxOqa-Aa9Nk This blog post has been syndicated at ExpertClick.com. What does it mean that this article is “ syndicated”?  It's a bit of a coup to get an article syndicated, and its certainly prestigious, as additional "proof" that the info and the author are considered far and wide authoritative and an expert in the field. So, enjoy and trust our content!! This article was syndicated for USA national redistribution. When something is published, usually by a news source, and is made available through different venues for redistribution then it is said to be syndicated. Publications that are syndicated are usually considered of value as being from an expert, educational, newsworthy or valuable for wide popular interest. See syndication page at the renowned publicity site: https://www.expertclick.com This website's syndication included: 1) Included in the ExpertClick Press Room as a ‘press release.’ (different than a ‘news release’) 2) Included in the ‘Speaker Bureau Platform Page.’ 3) Shown on the front page of ExpertClick, in rotation with other most recent posts. 4) Shown in the ‘News Release Results page.’ 5) Included on optimized for searches on all my topics of expertise. 6) Shown via RSS linked from the Press Room. (A specific way news is actively distributed within the industry) 7) Shown in the full RSS feed from ExpertClick. (Another, different specific way news is actively distributed within the industry) 8) Syndicated to LexisNexis.com As of 2006, the company had the world's largest electronic database for legal and public-records related information, distributor of academic content and expert opinion. This article has been syndicated at https://www.expertclick.com

Gorgeous Gilded Age Society Painting Dented by Freak Accident Art Restoration

This video entertains you with a story about surprising impact damage on 19th century paintings of high society fashion with some tips on condition from an art conservator. See several paintings of gorgeous women in The Gilded Age Society, paintings by the French-Italian Master Artist Frederic Soulacroix.

    

Call us for a pleasant chat about your art restoration questions: 805 564 3438 Scott M. Haskins, Oriana Montemurro, Virginia Panizzon Art Conservators.

Click here for our blog/website: http://www.FineArtConservationLab.com

Click here for our YouTube channel: http://www.YouTube.com/bestartdoc

Ripped Oil Painting Art Restoration Ventura, Thousand Oaks Testimonial

A treasured painting, a memory of early years, was ripped when a ladder went though the middle of the painting creating an ugly rip. Referred by a local museum, she called Fine Art Conservation Laboratories 805 564 3438 faclartdoc@gmail.com

Art conservators/restorers Scott M. Haskins, Virginia Panizzon

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Have questions and want to chat? Call us. Click on the link to see a short video tour of the lab.

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Banksy Mural Removed in S.F What's next...?

Banksy's iconic mural of the rat with a beret was saved from obliteration due to the City's anti graffiti ordinance. Movie director Brian Greif had to promise to not sell it in order to be authorized to dismantle the outside redwood slats of the Victorian Height District home. But a firestorm of discussion ensued that pitted discussions of public art for the people and the greedy money grubbing art collectors that want to own it all. 

Its been of such interest that the article took up serious square footage on the front page of the San Francisco Chronicle in this morning's Sunday paper with a full page spread on the inside.

For the article, go to this linked page at the website of the firm that is in charge of the restoration of the mural, Scott M. Haskins and Fine Art Conservation Laboratories

200 YEAR OLD PAINTING NEWLY RESTORED RETURNS TO MISSION SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO

This is a startling photo of Mission San Juan Capistrano if you know the mission today. It was taken prior to its restoration at the beginning of the 20th century. This last month, May 2014, Fine Art Conservation Laboratories completed the art conservation or painting restoration of the biggest most important painting in the Father Serra Chapel, Station of the Cross XII or The Crucifixion. This extremely large Spanish Colonial work of art is 12 1/2' tall x 7' wide. Here is the article about the project: http://tipsforfineartcollectors.org/oil-paintings/200-year-old-painting-newly-restored-returns-to-mission-san-juan-capistrano/

Scott M. Haskins, professional art conservator from FACL, Inc.  explaining the details of the project.

Pollock's 'Mural' restoration nearing completion

• One of the main influencing "founding fathers" of Post War Abstract Expressionism in the United States was Jackson Pollock, hence one of the elements of his great fame and the astronomical values his paintings have. Perhaps one of his most famous paintings is this painting entitled "Mural" which belongs to the University of Iowa.
  
  
  Pollocks influence on both "schools" or centers of production in the Bay Area (Berkley) and in New York cannot be understated and influenced generations of artists. Fine Art Conservation Laboratories consistent work on Post War Abstract Expressionist paintings over the years have included most of the notable artists from the Berkley School.
  
  
  
  
  
  FILE - An Oct. 17, 2002, file photo is of the University of Iowa's painting titled: "Mural" by Jackson Pollock. The 70-year-old painting has been in the conservation department of the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles where it will go on display in March before a 10-month display in Sioux City, Iowa. The 8-foot by 20-foot piece was removed from the University of Iowa Museum of Art because the building was damaged by flooding in 2008. Photo: Deb Barber, AP

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An extensive 19-month effort to study and restore a Jackson Pollock painting is nearly finished, officials say as they prepare to have the famous piece displayed in California and Iowa this year.

The 1943 painting "Mural" has been in the conservation department of the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles since the summer the 2012, the Iowa City Press-Citizen reported (http://icp-c.com/1l0s9k6 ). Restoration has included stabilizing the piece's physical structure, which had been sagging, and removing a varnish added in the 1970s.

"The painting started sagging very early in its life, probably as Pollock was painting it, because he probably himself didn't make strong enough of a stretcher for such a large painting," said Yvonne Szafran, head of the Getty's paintings conservation department. "That's keeping in mind this was the largest painting he had painted up until this point, and maybe the largest painting he ever does paint — it's certainly the widest."

The restoration work involved examining slivers of paint under a microscope and using imaging technology to virtually see layers of color. The research has dispelled the myth that Pollack created the famed artwork in a 24-hour session, as well as determined that the artist used some house paint on the piece.

University of Iowa Museum of Art Director Sean O'Harrow called the restoration, which was done pro bono, the most important modern art conservation effort in recent years.

The 8-foot by 20-foot painting was removed from the University of Iowa Museum of Art before the building was damaged by flooding in 2008. The painting is owned by the university, which received it through a donation in 1951 by art collector Peggy Guggenheim. It is insured for $140 million and is considered one of the most important modern American paintings in history.

The painting will go on display at the Getty in March before a 10-month stint at the Sioux City Art Center beginning in June.

Officials hope to take the painting on an international tour with other Pollock works. It would return to Iowa City once a new space is built for the university's 14,000-piece art collection. The touring plans are still in its early stages.

"While we build a new museum, we thought it would be the one, great opportunity to engage the world before it comes back to Iowa City," said O'Harrow.

Cowboy Painting by Maynard Dixon Newly Discovered - Time Lapse Cleaning Video

Maynard Dixon is usually a favorite of the Old West, Western Art and early Impressionism so its always fun to see a "new" painting, that's been hidden away (and in this case unappreciated!) resurface after 110 years! Steven Stern Fine Arts brought this gorgeous painting to us for art conservation treatments. Its hard to believe that someone tried to clean it before us! See the short 2 min time laps video of the process of cleaning a painting at  http://www.fineartconservationlab.com/in-lab/maynard-dixon-painting-restoration-art-conservation/

We've cleaned some of Dixon's great paintings over the years like the one here below. Enjoy the video!

Art conservation questions? Call Scott M. Haskins 805 895 5121
Art appraisal questions? Call Richard Holgate 805 895 5121

Art Restoration, Painting Conservation, Art Conservation, Repair Art Los Angeles, Santa Monica

A new video shows a summary of our art conservation and painting restoration work in the Los Angeles, CA area. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5K5CIUWVp8

http://www.fineartconservationlab.com/  Highest quality professional art conservation and restoration services. Door to door service. Conservation questions? Call Scott M. Haskins 805 564 3438  Also, fine art insurance claims consultant and expert witness in art related matters.

See who our clients are and about our background.

Testimonials: http://www.fineartconservationlab.com/testimonials/

Consultation resume: http://tipsforfineartcollectors.org/consultationsurveys/

About Scott Haskins: http://tipsforfineartcollectors.org/about-scott-haskins/

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/bestartdoc?feature=mhee

Keywords:

faclinc, Art Restoration, Painting Conservation, Restoration of a painting, Painting restoration, Art Conservation, Repair Art, Clean a painting, fix a rip in a painting, Scott M. Haskins, Japanese American National Museum, mural conservation, mural restoration, Jonathan Club, WPA murals, Olympic Murals, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Marina del Rey, Brentwood, Belair, West Hollywood, Pasadena, Glendale, Alta Dena, Encino, Pacific Palisades, Mailbu, West Los Angeles,

Goddess Diana Art Conservation Treatments at Philadelphia Museum of Art

A couple of years ago I made a video wile I walked through the Philadelphia Museum of Art. I was surprised how many people commented and enjoyed that walk through with me. Here's the link to the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFULHuqJ6kw

In that video I highlighted the statue of the Goddess Diana the which was just announced that the Bank of America is funding conservation treatments and regilding. Here's an interesting article about it: http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=11&int_new=63474#.Ucn3jhb9NjQ

The question comes up every once in awhile, "How ethical is it to redo, repaint, refinish artwork"? That's a good question! If you strip and refinish important valuable furniture, you will seriously impact the value. But, stripping a vintage car down to the metal and redoing it can enhance the value. If you repaint a damaged painting, the value goes into the toilet. But the Chinese restorers cover over damage on old ceramics so to make the damage undetectable (they think)... the value of its original nature is greatly compromised. A historic structure gets completely redone from top to bottom and it adds value to the property. If you over clean valuable wood duck decoys, the value is nil.

In this case, the worry is not about its monetary value but concerns the original nature of a historic statue. The idea with this art conservation intervention is to take it back to its original appearance but I question whether this is heavy handed. Goddess Diana has a history. Let her show off the testimonial conditions and let her be what she is now, today. She will be stunning in gold I'm sure. But her historic wrinkles will be botoxed away.

For a video tour of our lab go to http://www.fineartconservationlab.com
Art conservation questions? Call Scott M. Haskins 805 564 3438
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Valuable Granville Redmond painting found in storage boxes

A lady called the other day who is not "into art." But she was going through her mother's boxes that were left to her and had been in storage for some time. In the box she found this little 12' x 14' painting and didn't really think about it. It really didn't appeal to her. But she could read the name, Granville Redmond 1915. Fortunately for her, she Googled the name and wowie kazowie! It was nice to know also that she Googled for someone to clean it for her and she found our website at http://www.fineartconservationlab.com/. And it was nice to know several people she talked to confirmed that she should come to see us.

So we've cleaned this nice tonalist piece and thought you'd like to see it, freshly discovered from being "lost" since it was bought back in the 20's, she said.

If you saw this for sale, would you have "black lighted" it? What would you have seen? Learn more about doing your due diligence when you buy paintings (and other collectibles) by clicking on this link: http://www.fineartconservationlab.com/uv-blacklight/

Fake Art... I inspected 3 of them today before noon!

Treasure Detectives TV program is on CNBC tonight... this is the second episode in this new season pilot... should be fun to watch.  We deal with the problem of fake art all the time: Today in the lab, I had to "debunk" or pass a verdict of "FAKE!" on three paintings... all before noon! One was supposed to be by Matisse, one by Franz Bischoff and another by Maynard Dixon. My gosh they were horrible. The lady had bought them after she did research in the internet.

Sold on Ebay as a real painting, turns out that it was a print

Not only don't people know what they are buying but they don't know what they are selling. Ebay is awash with bogus art. Of course, I'm giving some of these people the benefit of the doubt and I'm saying they're just idiots and not fraudulent.

I could write volumes on fake paintings that have passed my way. Some of the stories are great. One of the techniques I use to examine the condition of art is ultraviolet light. Do you know how to use a black light when inspecting paintings? Here's a quick video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeR8_u5qSJM

Questions? Call Scott M. Haskins at 805 564 3438
Follow me on Facebook at Tips For Art Collectors, Fine Art Conservation and Scott M. Haskins

Gorgeous Painting by William Kendall - Short Video

Nice short video about the art conservation - painting restoration of a gorgeous painting by William Sargent Kendall for the Springville Museum of Art by Fine Art Conservation Laboratories - Scott M. Haskins. Rita Wright, Director invites you to see the museum: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qx_pt3P3_yw

Art conservation questions? Call Scott M. Haskins 805 564 3438
Art appraisal questions? Call Richard Holgate at 805 895 5121

Follow us on Facebook: Fine Art Conservation Lab and Scott M. Haskins

Flaking on Paintings 3 good tips for art collectors

by Eleanor Nelson, Guest Blogger

Flaking paint may start in quantities too small to see. In this way it can be a problem that is easy to miss, and exacerbate. The natural (even well-intentioned) urge to clean a painting tends, unfortunately, to manifest in wiping the surface down. This should never be done, whether the cloth used is wet or dry. A damp cloth can cause canvas to expand and contract which leads to further flaking and result in damage rather quickly.

Even a dry cloth, however, can do damage. Areas of flaking that only a trained conservator would spot may only need the encouragement of a sweep of a rag to begin dropping away. If you see flaking, it is best to not touch the affected area at all. When a problem arises, there can be enormous temptation to use our hands to try and solve it – even seasoned art experts can be guilty of touching paintings they know will flake. Each bit of flaking increases the time – and money - that will have to be spent on the project. The more that can be preserved, the better the chances are that the painting’s value will not drop too much.

Unfortunately, people may think they are being extra helpful by using cleaning solutions or solvents to clean a grubby painting. Never do this! Leave it to the professionals! Conservators train long and hard to learn the extremely complicated processes of cleaning works with solvents and even with training each piece requires the meticulous use of very small quantities of these powerful chemicals. Someone without training could damage a painting and impact its value very quickly indeed.

Finally, if you have noticed cracking or flaking, check to see if the piece is being exposed to a heat source like heating vents… even fireplaces, which aren’t used very much for heating these days but are still favorite places to hang paintings, are a less-obvious threat and so could feasibly cause more damage over time.

If you have found us because a similar situation has already happened, don’t despair. The good news is that the below references are trained professionals and the purpose of their job is, more often than not, erasing life’s mistakes large and small.

For a news article featuring Scott M. Haskins, art conservator, Click here: http://www.fineartconservationlab.com/media-room/art-restorerconservator-scott-m-haskins-featured-in-life-section-of-newspaper/

For art conservation and painting restoration questions call Scott M. Haskins 805 564 3438 or faclartdoc@gmail.com

For art appraisal questions call Richard Holgate at 805 895 5121 or jrholgate@yahoo.com

See short videos by Scott M. Haskins on art conservation related subjects at YouTube channel “Bestartdoc” http://www.youtube.com/user/bestartdoc?feature=mhee

See short do-it-yourself videos on collection care and emergency preparedness for art collectors, family history items, heirlooms, memorabilia at Youtube Channel “preservationcoach” http://www.youtube.com/user/preservationcoach

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Painting Restoration on Artist's Wife and Daughters by William Sargent Kendall 1906

We just finished working on a gorgeous picture by William Sargent Kendall of his wife and two daughters painted in 1906. It belongs to the Springville Museum of Art and we'll be taking it back to them in two weeks. We'll be sad. It so beautiful and we love looking at it in the lab. 

This article about the artwork and its art conservation treatments was written by FACL paintings conservator Oriana Montemurro: http://www.fineartconservationlab.com/in-lab/william-sargent-kendall’s-“the-artist’s-wife-and-daughters”-in-the-lab-for-art-conservation-treatments/

Mexican Art Master David Alfaro Siqueiros Mural "Mexico Today" Moved

In 1992 a move was afoot to move a famous mural by Mexican Master David Alfaro Siqueiros from the Palisades in Los Angeles to Santa Barbara, CA. It was a BIG deal and the final details were nothing short of an art conservation miracle. The story of the whole mural restoration project is so interesting that, if you like art,  I am sure you will want to see the 30 minute professional video. I was part of the team of painting conservation experts responsible for the saving and moving of this rare mural by one of Mexico's most famous artists of the 20th century. Leave a comment! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACRmeSkgCaA

Art conservation questions? Call Scott Haskins at 805 564 3438

Picture of Christ is renamed "Behold the Monkey!" after Restoration

So much attention has been given this inept restoration of the picture of Christ from a church in Spain! Did you miss it??!!! Well, the restoration was so bad that it has been renamed "Behold the monkey" by some very irreverent types. Here's the before and after the restoration:

But sadly, this situation is not really uncommon! In fact we have a similar example in our lab right now! Here's my blog post, comments and a photo:

http://www.fineartconservationlab.com/in-lab/“restored”-painting-of-christ-in-spain-“behold-the-monkey”/

TTYS
Scott M. Haskins

Collections Trust, Hidden Treasures Special Private Viewings For You

Monday 04 June 2012

Arts & Ents > Art > Features

A Private View Just For You

Independent readers are being given a rare opportunity to go behind the scenes in the nation's museums, to meet curators and see objects usually hidden from the public

What do Charles Darwin's specimen collection, a Shakespearean fencing manual and Neville Chamberlain's notes of his 1938 meeting with Hitler have in common? They are just some of the unique artefacts waiting to be discovered as part of The Independent's new Hidden Treasures campaign.

Although not part of this Hidden Treasures campaign, here are a couple of great, yet short, videos of behind the scenes visits of spectacular collections with an expert art conservator as your personal guide. http://www.fineartconservationlab.com/travel/royal-carriages-at-the-italian-white-house-and-paintings-by-tintoretto/

In partnership with the museum charity the Collections Trust, Hidden Treasures offers Independent readers exclusive, free, behind-the-scenes tours of 50 leading heritage attractions across the UK between the 4 and 11 June.

Whether it is exploring the secret passages under Temple Newsam House near Leeds, discovering the Asian and ceramics collections of the V&A, or uncovering the secrets of the National Archives, Hidden Treasures is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the collections that are not usually on public display, and to find out how our nation's heritage is cared for.

Hidden Treasures tours are guided by the leading experts in their field, who will be happy to answer your questions and share their knowledge of these tremendously diverse collections. Whether you are interested in natural history or fighter planes, the story of the post box or the gruesome early days of medicine, Hidden Treasures is your chance to discover their hidden stories.

How to book

Hidden Treasures tours are provided exclusively, free-of-charge for Independent readers. To reserve your place on one of these tours, please call freephone number 0800 8815408. Places on Hidden Treasures tours are strictly limited, and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note that your booking is not confirmed until you have received a confirmation email from us.

Terms & Conditions

Some tours are taking places in venues for which an admission charge is normally applicable. The tour is free, but you may be asked to pay for admission if you subsequently decide to visit another part of the attraction not included in the tour. Bookings are being coordinated by the Collections Trust. To reserve your place, call 0800 8815408. This is a freephone number and calls will be answered from 8.30am-7pm. Please note that specific access conditions may apply. Please refer to the access conditions on the participating museum's website before booking.

Participating Museums:

CHANNEL ISLANDS

Jersey Heritage

Visit Jersey Heritage's purpose-built store and discover its eclectic collections including a mammoth skull found at La Cotte de St Brelade and the contents of 19th-century chemists shops. Tours will be guided by knowledgeable staff.

Meet at Rear of the Sir Francis Cook Gallery, Trinity, Jersey

Friday 8 June, 10-11.30am, 12noon-1.30pm, 2.30-4pm (jerseyheritage.org)

EAST MIDLANDS

Snibston Discovery Museum

Discover highlights from Snibston's collections and talk to staff . Highlights of the tour include the Beaumanor coach and fascinating objects from the Tudor coal mines of northwest Leicestershire.

Meet at Admissions desk, main museum building

Wednesday 6 June, 2-4pm

(leics.gov.uk/index/ leisure_tourism/museums/ museumcollections)

Leicestershire County Council Collections Centre

One million objects illustrating the changing natural history of Leicestershire and its residents include the "cursed" Papillon shoes, coins from the Hallaton Treasure and a Queen of Spain fritillary butterfly collected from the Battle of the Somme.

Meet at Directions will be emailed to you on booking

Thursday 7 June, 2-4pm (leics. gov.uk/index/leisure_tourism/museums/museumcollections)

The Collection: Art & Archaeology in Lincolnshire

A rare chance to see behind the scenes at the museum and Usher gallery, looking at objects in the archaeology, geology, world cultures and militaria collections (morning tour) and the art collections (afternoon tour) that are not normally on display.

Meet at The reception of Lincolnshire Archives, St Rumbold Street, Lincoln

Friday 7 June, 10-11.30am, 2-3pm (thecollectionmuseum.com)

EAST OF ENGLAND       

Peterborough Museum

Find out how the 227,000 items in our collections are cared for, and get the chance to see some hidden gems not on display.

Meet at Museum reception

Saturday 9 June, 11-11.45am; Sunday 10 June, 2-2.45pm

(vivacity-peterborough.com)

Letchworth Museum

Discover the story of north Hertfordshire and the people who have lived here from pre-history right up to the turn of the 21st century. Our tours offer visitors a unique opportunity to see behind-the-scenes work on the collections.

Meet at Front door of museum

Wednesday 6 June, 11-11.45am, 2.15-3pm (north-herts.gov.uk/ letchworth_museum_and_art_gallery.html)

Museum Resource Centre, Hitchin

The North Hertfordshire Museum Service's collections covering social history (things we use in everyday life and work), archaeology, art, costumes and natural history.

Meet at Museum resource centre, Bury Mead Road, Hitchin

Friday 8 June, 2.15-2.55pm; Saturday 9 June 11-11.40am; Monday 11 June 11-11.40am

(north-herts.gov.uk/letchworth_museum_and_art_gallery.html)

Bishop's Stortford Museum

Revisit the successful 2011 exhibition "Beautiful, vulnerable and inaccessible", offering an unusual look at some of the fragile objects held in the museum's store. The museum is providing two workshop sessions to learn about how the exhibition was photographed.

Meet at The Rhodes exhibition gallery

Saturday 9 June, 10-11am, 11.30am-12.30pm (rhodesbishopsstortford.org.uk)

Mill Green Mill & Museum, Welwyn Hatfield Museum Service

Step behind the scenes and see how the collections of this unique local museum are used, stored and cared for. Store tours with a Jubilee theme.

Meet at Museum reception

Friday 8 June, 10.30-11.30am, 2-3pm (welhat.gov.uk/museum)

LONDON

Horniman Museum and Gardens

A chance to visit the Horniman Museum's Study Collections Centre (SCC), the museum's major off-site storage facility. The tour will highlight how the museum has improved the care, storage and documentation of the collections over the years, and offer a glimpse of our hidden treasures.

Special conditions: visitors will be driven to the Study Collections Centre in a minibus provided by the museum. Wheelchair users should contact the museum in advance to discuss alternative arrangements for getting to the store. Finishing times reflect what time visitors will be back at the main museum site in Forest Hill. The Museum is open from 10.30am-5.30pm, and the Gardens from 7.30am until sunset, so we encourage people to visit them after the morning tour or before the afternoon tour for a full experience.

Meet at Totem pole in the museum gardens(10am or 2pm promptly)

Saturday 9 June, 10am-2pm, 2-4pm (horniman.ace.uk/visit/ getting-here)

Victoria and Albert Museum

Tours include an opportunity to learn about conservation at the V&A as well as a rare glimpse of the asian, ceramics and metalwork departments' collections. Attendees on the Edmund de Waal Signs and Wonders tour will need to have good head for heights, and to be physically fit for a climb of 68 narrow steps.

Meet at Secretariat Gate, V&A, Cromwell Road Thursday 7 June, conservation tour, 9.15-11am

Meet at Meeting point, Grand Entrance:

Friday 8 June, French porcelain tour, 11am-12noon; Asian and Middle Eastern shoes tour, 1-2pm; Metalwork 1600-1800 tour, 2.30-3.30pm

Monday 11 June, Edmund de Waal tour, 11-11.45am; ceramics tour, 2-3pm (vam.ac.uk)

Jewish Museum London

Experience objects from the museum stores under the supervision of the curators of Judaica and social history. Hear about the collections, how they were acquired, how they are managed and put your questions to the museum curators.

Meet at Hidden Treasures desk outside the auditorium

Sunday 10 June, 11am-12.30pm, 2-3.30pm (jewishmuseum. org.uk)

Hall Place and Gardens

Be transported to the pioneering days of early photography. Be among the first to see our collection of glass lantern slides that capture images of cities and people from around the world. Meet our collections manager to discover how we are documenting and preserving for future generations.

Meet at Reception (entry to the tour is free, but there is a charge if you would like to visit the rest of the house)

Wednesday 6 June, 11am-12noon; Thursday 7 June, 11am-12noon, 2-3pm; Friday 8 June, 11am-12noon, 2-3pm (hallplace.org.uk)

Bromley Museum

Bromley Museum in Orpington Priory is one of the most significant buildings in the local area. Find out about the history of the Priory – a Grade II* listed medieval rectory and one of the borough's oldest buildings. We will be offering a talk and tour of the building and a rare opportunity to sneak behind the scenes and see the fine art store.

Meet at The Great Hall

Wednesday 6 June, 2-4pm; Thursday 7 June, 2-4pm; Friday 8 June, 2-4pm (bromley.gov.uk/ bromleymuseum)

Imperial War Museum

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit the Imperial War Museum's new state-of-the-art store, housing its collection of 20th century works of art. As well as more than 3,500 works of art, find out how this facility is leading the way in environmental sustainability.

Meet at Museum reception

Friday 8 June, 10.30-11.30am, 12noon-1pm, 1.30-2.30pm, 3-4pm (iwm.org.uk)

The Wiener Library

Explore the hidden treasures held in Britain's largest and the world's oldest archives on the Holocaust and the Nazi era. The Wiener library invites you on a behind-the-scenes tour of our new, state-of-the-art archives which hold 65,000 books, 17,000 photographs and 1,500 documents.

Meet at Main reception, 29 Russell Square, London, WC1

Thursday 7 June, 11am-12noon; Friday 8 June, 11am-12noon; Monday 11 June 11am-12noon

(wienerlibrary.co.uk)

The British Postal Museum & Archive

Discover fascinating collections from small objects to the national collection of 200 letter boxes, as well as telephone kiosks and the BPMA's collection of motorised vehicles. A rare opportunity to experience parts of the collection not usually available.

Meet at The British Postal Museum Store Unit 7, Debden Industrial Estate, Lenthall Road, Loughton

Wednesday 6 June, 10am-12noon (postalheritage.org.uk/page/ museum-gettingto)

The National Archives

A rare glimpse behind the scenes at the National Archives, the UK government's official archive with one of the largest collections in the world. Our role is to collect and secure the future of the government record, both digital and physical, to preserve it for generations to come, and to make it as accessible and available as possible. The tour will show visitors how we do this.

Meet at Reception desk, National Archives, Richmond

Wednesday 6 June, 10-11.45am, 12noon-1.45pm, 2.30-3.45pm; Thursday 7 June, 10-11.45am, 12noon-1.45pm, 2.30-3.45pm; Friday 8 June, 10-11.45am, 12noon-1.45pm, 2.30-3.45pm,

(nationalarchives.gov.uk)

National Army Museum

A rare opportunity to experience the unseen collections of this unique institution. The tour will include silhouette portraits of First World War prisoners-of-war and an extremely rare copy of The Art of War, a treatise by Nicholaus Marschalk, 1515.

Meet at Museum welcome desk

Thursday 7 June, 2-3pm; Saturday 9 June, 10.30am-12noon, 2-3pm (nam.ace.uk)

Museum of Richmond

A tour of the eclectic but petite collection store of the Museum of Richmond, an independent, local-history museum of artefacts from Richmond, Ham, Petersham and Kew. The collection ranges from prehistoric times to present day.

Meet at Museum reception

Friday 8 June, 2-2.30pm, 2.30-3pm, 3-3.30pm, 3.30-4pm

(museumofrichmond.com)

Museum of London

Experience a rare glimpse behind the scenes of the Museum of London, including some of the "hidden treasures" of its collections as well as working areas, laboratories and offices. Gain an overview of how a museum works.

Meet at Museum foyer, by the front desk.

Tuesday 5 June, 2-3pm; Thursday 7 June, 2-3pm;Friday 8 June, 2-3pm

(museumoflondon.org.uk)

Natural History Museum

A fascinating glimpse behind the scenes of the 27 kilometres of shelves, 22 million specimens and cutting-edge scientific research in the Darwin Centre's Zoology spirit building. See hidden treasures such as the giant squid or specimens collected by Charles Darwin.

Special conditions: children must be accompanied by an adult, and tours are not suitable for children under eight.

Meet at Visitor reception desk in the main hall

Thursday 7 June, 11.45am-12.15pm; Monday 11 June, 11.45am-12.15pm (nhm.ace.uK)

NORTH WEST

The Manchester Museum

Fantastic collections housed in an amazing gothic revival building. The collection is enormous at around four million objects. We are offering tours to see behind the scenes for visitors to discover how we organise and preserve the collection, how we use it for inspiration and enjoyment and about some recent and forthcoming exhibition developments.

Meet at Reception

Wednesday 6 June, 2-3pm, Thursday 7 June, 2-3pm, Friday 8 June, 2-3pm

(museum.manchester.ace.uk)

Liverpool Medical Institution

Come and see what is behind the six sandstone pillars and impressive frontage of one of Liverpool's little-known buildings. The Liverpool Medical Institution is a members-only organisation and the building and its collections of rare books, medical objects, clocks and portraits is not often open to the public. With a history going back to 1779, the Liverpool Medical Institution is a unique library and organisation and the home of many medical "firsts".

Meet at Main entrance, 114 Mount Pleasant, Liverpool

Sunday 10 June, 10-11am, 12noon-1pm, 2-3pm (lmi.org.uk)

World Museum, Liverpool

Exclusive behind-the-scenes tours of the natural history collections. The museum boasts extensive collections from the Amazonian rain forest to outer space. Two tours will uncover the secrets of the vertebrate zoology collections store and botany herbarium.

Meet at Reception desk

Wednesday 6 June, Vertebrate Zoology Tour 10-10.40am, 2-2.40pm; Thursday 7 June, Botany Herbarium Tour 10-10.40am, 2-2.40pm

(liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/wml)

Museum of Science and Industry (Manchester)

Explore behind the scenes with a self-guided trail in the MOSI store. Discover fascinating and surprising science and industry objects, from machine tools to washing machines, from jam-jar filling machines to butter churns. See if you can correctly guess the ages of objects.

Meet at An open drop-in session; enquire at reception

Thursday 7 June, 11am-1pm (mosi.org.uk)

SCOTLAND       

Glasgow Museums Resource Centre

A snapshot of the vast collection of objects that we store on behalf of the City of Glasgow. This tour is a great introduction to GMRC, and is recommended for anyone visiting the venue for the first time. You'll get an idea of the range and scale of Glasgow Museums' collections.

Please note: advance booking is essential. If booking for 4 June, please contact the museum direct on 0141 276 9300 or email gmrcbookings@glasgowlife.org.uk giving name, email, telephone and date of tour.

Meet at 200 Woodhead Road, Glasgow

Monday 4 June, 2.30-3.30pm; Tuesday 5 June, 2.30-3.30pm; Wednesday 6 June, 2.30-3.30pm; Thursday 7 June, 2.30-3.30pm; Sunday 10 June 2.30-3.30pm (tiny.cc/glasgowlife)

Falconer Museum

Moray Museum Service looks after over 30,000 objects, many of which are kept in the museum store, when not on display in the Falconer Museum. Take a tour through the eclectic collections housed in the Museum Store, from Mexican Milagros to Indian mica miniatures, tiger skins to moths, forceps to golden false teeth.

Meet at Moray Museums Store at the top of Leys Road, Tolbooth Street, Forres

Thursday 7 June, 2.30-3.30pm, 7-8pm; Saturday 9 June, 2.30-3.30pm (falconermuseum.co.uk)

Marischal Museum, University of Aberdeen

Explore the hidden gems within the University of Aberdeen Museum stores, including a guided walk through the old Marischal Museum galleries. Visitors will be invited into the conservation lab and the main store. Expect some intriguing tales too...

Meet at Reception

Friday 8 June, 1-2pm, 3-4pm; Saturday 9 June, 10-11am, 11.30am-12.30pm

(abdn.ace.uk/museums)

National Museums Scotland

From Moby the whale to dinosaur bones, from motorbikes to traction engines – the material gathered here is as diverse as it is vast. The stored material enables us to refresh exhibitions and study subjects in depth. Visit our state-of-the-art conservation laboratories and enhanced storage for the national collections.

Access conditions: the tour will include stairs and therefore is not suitable for wheelchair access. Children must be accompanied

Meet at National Museums Collection Centre, 242 West Granton Road, Edinburgh

Friday 8 June, 10.30am-12.30pm; Saturday 9 June, 10.30am-12.30pm

(nms.ace.uk/our_museums/museum_of_flight/museums_collection_centre.aspx)

SOUTH EAST

National Maritime Museum at No. 1 Smithery, The Historic Dockyard, Chatham

No. 1 Smithery houses ship models from the National Maritime Museum and Imperial War Museum: with over 3,000 items it is one of the finest collections in the world. Special conditions: Please note that The Independent voucher does not cover admission prices to The Historic Dockyard Chatham, other than to No. 1 Smithery.

Meet at The main visitor entrance, 20 minutes before the tour is due to start. Visitors will then be directed to No. 1 Smithery.

Saturday 9 June, 10.30-11.15am, 12noon-12.45pm, 2-2.45pm, 3.15-4pm (thedockyard.co.uk)

SOUTH WEST

Hypatia Trust, Penzance

An opportunity to discover the Elizabeth Treffry Collection on Women in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Displays and tours of the collection will take place in the informal and homely surroundings of Trevelyan House, a grade II-listed Georgian gem in the heart of historic Penzance.

Meet at Trevelyan House, 16 Chapel Street, Penzance,

Monday 4 June 2.30-3pm, Tuesday 5 June 2.30-3pm, Wednesday 6 June, 2.30-3pm, Thursday 7 June 2.30-3pm, Friday 8 June, 2.30-3pm

(http://tehmina.goskar.com/tag/hypatia-trust)

St John's Museum Store

Explore the hidden treasures in the museum store. Marvel at the range of historical spa equipment, find out more about furniture by local craftsmen.

Meet at St Johns Museum Store, Upper Bristol Road, Bath

Saturday 9 June, 11am-12noon, 12.30-1.30pm, 2-3pm

(romanbaths.co.uk)

Bristol Museums & Galleries

These exclusive behind the scenes tours will be led by experts in geology, biology and ethnography, providing a unique insight into these extraordinary and diverse collections.

Meet at Museum reception

Wednesday 6 June, Geology tour 11-11.30am, Biology tour, 11-11.30am, Ethnography tour, 11.30am-12noon, Ethnography tour 1-1.30pm, Biology tour, 1-1.30pm (bristol.gov.uk/node/2904)

M-Shed, Bristol

Discover this unique collection celebrating the history of Bristol and its residents and enjoy the museum's selection of working dockside exhibits, including four electric cranes and the Pyronaut, a 1930s fireboat.

Meet at Reception

Wednesday 6 June, 2.30–3.15pm; Thursday 7 June, 11.30am–12.15pm

(mshed.org/visiting)

WALES       

The Cardiff Story Museum

Uncovering Cardiff's Hidden Treasures: The Cardiff Story opened in 2011, with interactive displays exploring Cardiff's past, and with help from the public we have built the city's collection up from scratch in just a few years! Over the coming months we're particularly looking for objects related to culture, leisure, community and sport, for our future displays. Whether it's a vinyl record, football, tea pot or photograph, it's the personal memories that help tell Cardiff's history. If you have Cardiff-related objects that you'd like to donate, then bring them to this unique event, and speak to one of our team.

Meet at Museum foyer

Saturday 9 June, 10-10.45am, 11-11.45am, 12noon -12.45pm, 1-1.45pm (cardiffstory.com)

Wrexham County Borough Museum and Archives

Spend the morning in our collections centre seeing and handling the objects not normally on display. Learn about how we care for our objects and take a peek in our store. Meet the team and ask us any questions you may have about your own prized possessions.

Meet at Museum collections centre, Regent Street, Wrexham

Friday 8 June, 10.30am-12.30pm

(wrexham.gov.uk/english/heritage/collection_centre.html)

WEST MIDLANDS

Royal Regiment of Fusiliers Museum (Royal Warwickshire)

Look behind the scenes at the hidden treasures that the museum does not display! This tour will take you into the attic store, which holds around two-thirds of the items in the collection. You will get a glimpse of areas of the house not normally accessible to visitors.

Meet at First floor reception, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers Museum, St John's House, Warwick

Thursday 7 June, 10.30-11am, 11.30am-12noon, 1.30-2pm,2-2.30pm; Friday 8 June, 10.30-11am, 11.30am-12noon, 1.30-2pm, 2-2.30pm; Saturday 9 June 10.30-11am, 11.30am-12noon, 1.30-2pm, 2-2.30pm (warwickfusiliers.co.uk)

RBSA Gallery

To celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, the RBSA Gallery presents a display of "hidden treasures" about the life and work of Teresa Lady Clarke RBSA, the first female Member of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists (RBSA).

Meet at Gallery reception

Open during museum hours from 4 to 11 June (rbsa.org.uk)

Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum

Discover the Natural History of Worcestershire since 1833. The atmospheric stores give a fascinating insight into the history of the area. Led by a collections officer who has over 40 years' experience of working with the collection.

Meet at Museum reception

Wednesday 6 June, 2-2.40pm; Thursday 7 June 2-2.40pm; Friday 8 June 2-2.40pm

(museumsworcestershire.gov.uk)

The Birmingham Assay Office

A rare opportunity to visit the Birmingham Assay Office's historic silver collection, which contains pieces dating from the 18th century to the present day by leading silversmiths such as Matthew Boulton, Elkington and Co and Nathaniel Mills.

Meet at The Birmingham Assay Office, corner of Charlotte Street and Newhall Street, Birmingham

Friday 8 June, 2-4pm

(theassayoffice.co.uk)

Cadbury Research Library

Experience unique collections of manuscripts and rare books on an enormous range of subjects, ranging from a 9th-century Kufic koran to Neville Chamberlain's notes from his 1938 meetings with Hitler. See conservation in action and tour our strong rooms.

Meet at Cadbury Research Library, Muirhead Tower (Lower Ground Floor), University of Birmingham, Edgbaston

Thursday 7 June, 2-3pm, 3-4pm

(special-coll.bham.ace.uk)

University of Birmingham Research & Cultural Collections

Discover a cornucopia of extraordinary artefacts – view material and handle objects from the university heritage collection that throws light on the history and developing traditions of the University.

Meet at The Study Centre, 32 Pritchatts Road, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston

Thursday 7 June, 3.30-5pm

(collections.bham.ace.uk/collections/other.shtml)

Birmingham Museums, Museum Collections Centre

An exclusive opportunity to visit one of the largest museum stores in the country, described as an "Aladdin's cave". See hundreds of items from our science, transport, social history and sculpture collections. Expert staff will be on hand to talk to you about the collections.

Meet at Main museum entrance

Friday 8 June, 1-3.30pm

(bmag.org.uk/Museum-collections-centre)

YORKSHIRE & HUMBERSIDE       

The Yorkshire Museums Trust Book Club

The book club meets monthly to discuss a book which relates to an aspect of our collections. Each session also includes access to relevant museum objects which are not currently on display. Independent readers are invited to their own book club session to discuss This Thing of Darkness by Harry Thompson, followed by a visit to the Yorkshire Museum Library, which is not currently open to the general public

Meet at Museum reception

Saturday 9 June, 12.30-2pm

Ring 01904 650333 or email groupbookings@ymt.org.uk to book your place

The Cutlers' Hall, Sheffield

Four Hundred Years of Paperwork! The Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire has protected and promoted Sheffield's metal trades since 1624. Visitors can meet the archivist, and browse a display of some of the archives used for family and local history studies.

Meet at Front entrance

Wednesday 6 June, 2-2.30pm; Thursday 7 June, 10.30am-12noon, 2-2.30pm

(cutlers-hallamshire.org.uk)

Leeds Museum Discovery Centre

Step inside this state-of-the-art museum storage facility and discover over one million fascinating objects from elephant skulls to a medieval log boat, mummy bandages and meteorites.

Meet at Reception desk

Thursday 7 June, 11am-12noon, 2-3pm (leeds.gov.uk/discoverycentre)

Yorkshire Museum

The oldest working astronomical observatory in Yorkshire, dating from the 1830s. Expert staff will introduce the observatory and telescope.

Meet at Observatory, Yorkshire Museum Gardens, York

Thursday 7 June, 11.30am-12.30pm, 12.30-1.30pm,1.30-2.30pm; Saturday 9 June 11.30am-12.30pm, 12.30-1.30pm, 1.30-2.30pm (yorkshiremuseum. org.uk/Page/Visiting.aspx)

Temple Newsam House

Hidden Temple Newsam: take a guided tour through the hidden passages and cellars below this magnificent Jacobean House. Some steep steps and uneven surfaces. Not suitable for the under-sevens.

Meet at Reception

Saturday 9 June, 11am-12.30pm

(leeds.gov.uk/templenewsam)

Royal Armouries

Discover Britain's national collection of arms and armour. Visitors will have a rare opportunity to discover some of the hidden treasures of the museum's archives including fencing manuals from the time of William Shakespeare and diaries, letters, journals and photographs of soldiers from the early 19th century to the First World War.

Meet at Reception, Royal Armouries Museum, Armouries Drive, Leeds

Tuesday 5 June, 11am-12noon; Wednesday 6 June 11am-12.00noon; Thursday 7June 11am-12noon

(royalarmouries.org/home)

Special insider’s, behind the scenes video tour of the Royal Carriages of Italy by the collection curator and the art conservator. This short video gives you a secret look at the gorgeous carriages of 75 – 200 years ago. Get your Cinderella fantasy fix! Click on this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-hKGLzT_u0