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Real Pirates need Conservators too

Posted 3/4/2011 12:03 AM by Meghan McFarlane | Comments

For the last week, Conservation, Registration, and Exhibits have been busy installing Real Pirates: The Untold Story of the Whydah. This travelling exhibit features over 300 objects--each of which is checked by a Conservator before it goes on display. We check for any signs of new damage that may have occurred during shipping, or any artifacts that may need extra care before installation.

Real Pirates is fascinating from a Conservation perspective. When objects are buried at sea for long periods of time, they are covered with minerals, plants, and even animals. These materials form a hard layer, or concretion, on the surface that can completely cover the artifact. Visitors to Real Pirates can see some of these concretions, and learn about how Conservators remove this tough outer layer to reveal the artifacts inside.