Conserving the value or function of things despite their deterioration: Human beings have learned to maintain objects created by themselves parallel to the process of their creation. From ancient times, we have documented evidence of interventions on pieces to keep them “alive.”

With the collaboration of the National Archaeological Museum (MAN), the ESCRBC has designed a thematic tour on the History of Conservation and Restoration from prehistory to the 21st century. Through 20 objects distributed throughout the different rooms of the Museum, one can observe the evolution of intervention processes on such spectacular pieces as the Vaso de los Ciervos de los Millares, the Timiaterio de Calaceite, the Iberian monument of Pozo Moro, the Toros de Costitx, the statue of Nectanebo, or the Ivory Crucifix of D. Fernando and Doña Sancha, among others. In each of them, we can study the different treatments, classified into four groups according to their chronology and authorship:

1. Period and popular repairs (from prehistory to the mid-20th century).
2. Artist restorers and the birth of a profession (from the Renaissance to the mid-20th century).
3. New criteria, new materials (second half of the 20th century).
4. The 21st century. Higher education and new technologies.

On November 7, 2019, it is presented to the public, as well as the virtual tour that will allow the same route to be taken and that can also be carried out physically, following the itinerary with an explanatory brochure in which the pieces are located on the maps of the different floors of the Museum. From the MAN’s website, it is already possible to access all the information, with individual records for each piece.

Likewise, guided tours will be periodically conducted, led by conservation-restoration professionals from the ESCRBC or the MAN, explaining all processes in detail. The first visit will be held on November 7, during the Science and Innovation Week 2019. More information can be obtained at the following link.

Registrations, for a maximum of 20 participants, can be made on the SCI website.

This permanent project will be concluded next year with the development of a multimedia guide with extensive information on each selected object, accessible from both Museum devices and private ones. In this way, each user can decide how they prefer to take the tour and the level of information they desire.