Preservation Resources

What are these resources for?

Everyday people contact Ohio History Connection's Curatorial Team to learn more about how to preserve items they own. Below are some of our favorite resources for preserving objects and artifacts of different material types.

General Preservation Information

Heirlooms are the objects that connect us to our family histories. Over the years, a combination of time and the elements can wear these objects out, making them too fragile to handle or destroying them altogether. But there are some simple steps you can take to slow this deterioration and extend the life of these objects for future generations of your family.

General Tips:

• Store your objects in a cool, dry place--avoid attics, basements and garages.
• Avoid using old cardboard boxes for storage.
• When storing newspapers, textiles or other flexible materials, package them loosely with as few folds as possible.
• Label photographs with a pencil or an archival pen.
• Use archival- or museum-quality materials to store photographs and objects.

For more information on preserving many kinds of items, check out Caring for Your Artifacts from The Henry Ford Museum.

Costumes, Quilts, and Textiles

The Henry Ford, Benson Ford Research Center, The Care and Preservation of Antique Textiles & Costumes

Canadian Conservation Institute, Caring for Textiles and Costumes

The Textile Museum, Textile Care and Display

The National Quilt Museum, General Quilt Care

International Quilt Study Center & Museum, Textile Talk: Care and Conservation

Glass and Ceramics

Canadian Conservation Institute, Care of Ceramics and Glass

Ohio History Connection, History Collections Blog, Last Week We Packed a Museum

The Henry Ford, Benson Ford Research Center, The Care, Storage and Handling of Artifacts

Furniture

Canadian Conservation Institute, Care and Cleaning of Unfinished Wood

Canadian Conservation Institute, Care of Furniture Finishes

National Park Service, Conserve O Gram no. 7/1, Cleaning Wood Furniture

Smithsonian Institute, Furniture Care and Handling

The Henry Ford, Benson Research Center, The Care and Preservation of Furniture and Wooden Objects

Silver

The Henry Ford, Benson Ford Research Center, The Care and Preservation of Historical Silver

Canadian Conservation Institute, Silver--Care and Tarnish Removal

Ohio History Connection, History Collections Blog, Making It Shine

Rugs

Canadian Conservation Institute, Basic Care--Carpets and Rugs