The Museum of Fine Arts Houston will get seventeen new airtight, sulfur-free cabinets to store it’s 898-piece collection of silver alloy items, taking them out of their tissue paper and plastic bags and allowing them to be viewed more often, all paid for by a $102,811 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The MFAH will also develop workshops and tours about silver conservastion, in preparation for an American Silver show coming up in November 2013.
Conservation is a hotspot for Texas museums: the Dallas Museum of Art has hired ex-Getty conservator Mark Leonard with a half-million dollar Mellon Grant; meanwhile, at UT Harry Ransom Center, work is proceeding on the meticulous conservation of famous costumes from the film Gone With The Wind- in the latest update (with slideshow!) they’re removing lead weights from Scarlett’s provocative burgundy gown.
