[Nhcoll-l] Museum Artifacts: How they were made and how they deteriorate online course starts February 3rd

[Helen Alten]

MS213: Museum Artifacts: How they were made and how they deteriorate
Instructor: Helen Alten
Dates: Feb 3 through Mar 14, 2014
Location: online at www.museumclasses.org

Description:
Every museum object is unique, but items made of similar materials share 
characteristics. Museum Artifacts gives participants an understanding of 
the materials and processes used to make objects - knowledge that better 
prepares them to decide how to care for their collections. Participants 
study two objects that represent all materials found in our museums. 
Through an in-depth analysis of their components, participants explore 
all possible objects found in any museum.

Logistics:
Participants in Museum Artifacts work through 12 sections on their own. 
Instructor Helen Alten is available for scheduled email support. 
Materials and resources include online literature, slide lectures and 
dialog between students and online chats led by the instructor. The 
course is limited to 20 participants.

Museum Artifacts runs six weeks. To learn more about the course, go to 
http://www.collectioncare.org/training/trol_classes_ms213.html If you 
have trouble please contact us at info at collectioncare.org

The Instructor:
Helen Alten, is the Director of the Sheldon Museum in Haines, Alaska and 
Founder of Northern States Conservation Center. For nearly 30 years she 
has been involved in objects conservation, starting as a pre-program 
intern at the Oriental Institute in Chicago and the University Museum of 
the University of Pennsylvania. She completed a degree in Archaeological 
Conservation and Materials Science from the Institute of Archaeology at 
the University of London in England. She has built and run conservation 
laboratories in Bulgaria, Montana, Greece, Alaska and Minnesota. She has 
a broad understanding of three-dimensional materials and their 
deterioration, is a writer for Collections Caretaker, built the popular 
www.collectioncare.org web site, lectures throughout the United States 
on collection care topics, was instrumental in developing a state-wide 
protocol for disaster response in small Minnesota museums, has written, 
received and reviewed grants for NEH and IMLS, worked with local 
foundations funding one of her pilot programs, and is always in search 
of the perfect museum mannequin. She has published chapters on 
conservation and deterioration of archeological glass with the Materials 
Research Society and the York Archaeological Trust, four chapters on 
different mannequin construction techniques in Museum Mannequins: A 
Guide for Creating the Perfect Fit (2002), preservation planning, 
policies, forms and procedures needed for a small museum in The 
Minnesota Alliance of Local History Museums' Collection Initiative 
Manual, and is co-editor of the penultimate book on numbering museum 
collections (still in process) by the Gilcrease Museum in Oklahoma. 
Helen Alten has been a Field Education Director, Conservator, and staff 
trainer. She began working with people from small, rural, and tribal 
museums while as the state conservator for Montana and Alaska.

-- 
Brad Bredehoft for Helen Alten
Northern States Conservation Center
www.collectioncare.org
www.museumclasses.org