Manifesto 'It's all about objects'

Strict monitoring of the indoor climate in depot buildings does not always guarantee the preservation of collections of cultural importance. This is concluded in recent research by Helicon.[1] The exact control over indoor air conditions, as developed at the end of the last century, does not consider the conditions within the objects.[2] Moreover, strict demands as used in loan agreements and in schedules of requirements for newly built depot buildings cannot be defended any more. An alternative could be to redirect the focus to the objects rather than to the air conditions.

Results of object measurements in 59 spaces in 34 cultural institutions in the Netherlands and Belgium were presented during a symposium in March 2014. Monitoring the moisture content of objects next to temperature and relative humidity of the air shows the interaction between the object and its surrounding climate. Stabilizing the objects is the main goal; controlling the indoor climate can be used to achieve this goal but isn’t the main target itself. Current norms and guidelines disregard the dynamic balance between objects and air.

During this symposium, 150 participants from all parts of the cultural field clearly campaigned for:

• more research on this topic with cooperation of normative institutions;
• more focus on the dynamics of objects rather than static indoor air conditions;
• changing the current norms for preservation and management of cultural heritage; standards           should be relevant, achievable and measurable;
• more realistic loan agreements based on what objects really need.

This manifesto is intended to show this is not an individual wish but a widely desired necessity.

Do you agree on this? Please consider signing this manifesto!

Marguérite Nagel-Stuart    Neem contact op met de schrijver van de petitie