AIM Pilgrim Trust Collections Care Audit – Salcombe Maritime Museum

AIM grant £1,100

Our description of need stated our main priority to be ‘to repair and conserve those metal objects which are showing signs of corrosion’. The audit concluded that the vast majority of objects were found to be in a good and stable condition with no significant deterioration noted. However, 11 metal objects showed signs of active corrosion and require specialist conservation.

A second priority was to ensure a stable environment particularly in regard to humidity/temperature control. The audit concluded that the environment recorded was found to be at a good level for a mixed collection.  However, a number of recommendations were made including investment in good quality environmental monitoring equipment to better understand the changing museum environment, fitting of UV film to windows and reduction of light levels in sensitive areas.

In addition, the audit highlighted the need for a suitable collections management system with investment in appropriate hardware and software.

In drawing up an implementation plan we have divided the auditor’s recommendations into two categories as follows:

1)  those actions which we will implement with existing resources.

  • Wear gloves when handling delicate and sensitive items
  • Continue basic pest monitoring
  • Keep light levels in tabletop cases as low as practical
  • Treat the Wellington sewing machine for woodworm
  • Display smaller items with conditioned silica gel to lower humidity in display cases
  • Check the light levels to objects in entrance corridor
  • Carry out thorough cleaning at the end of visitor season.

2)  Those actions for which we will seek funding from the next round of AIM Pilgrim Trust:

  • Purchase two temperature and relative humidity dataloggers
  • Fit UV film to lobby and office windows
  • Arrange for specialist metals conservator to carry out essential conservation to the 11 identified objects
  • Purchase suitable collection management software.

Roger Barrett, Curator and Vice-Chair, Salcombe Maritime Museum

Pictured: Ship room and children’s room at Salcombe Maritime Museum