Preserving What Is Valued: Museums, Conservation, and First Nations

Clavir, Miriam

Brossura

ISBN 10: 0774808616 ISBN 13: 9780774808613

Casa editrice: Univ of British Columbia Pr, 2002

Preserving What Is Valued explores the concept of preserving heritage. It presents the conservation profession’s code of ethics and discusses four significant contexts embedded in museum conservation practice: science, professionalization, museum practice, and the relationship between museums and Native American peoples.

Clavir argues that museum practices are historically grounded and represent values that are not necessarily held by the originators of the objects. She focuses on conservation, explaining the principles and methods conservators practice and discussing First Nations peoples’ perspectives on preservation, quoting extensively from interviews done throughout British Columbia.

Product Description:

This is an exploration of the concept of preserving heritage. It presents the conservation profession's code of ethics and discusses four significant contexts embedded in museum conservation practice: science, professionalization, museum practice and the relationship between museums and First Nations peoples. Museum practice regarding handling and preservation of objects has been largely taken as a given, and it can be difficult to see how these activities are politicized. Miriam Clavir argues that museum practices are historically grounded and represent values that are not necessarily held by the originators of the objects. She first focuses on conservation and explains the principles and methods conservators practise. She then discusses First Nations people's perspectives on preservation, quoting extensively from interviews conducted throughout British Columbia, and comparing the BC situation with that in New Zealand.