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ABSTRACT
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum collections encompass vehicles, memorabilia, art, and archives documenting the history of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. During a preservation needs assessment conducted by the Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts (CCAHA), Museum staff pointed out tarnish and corrosion on the trophies in the memorabilia collection. This raised a number of questions, foremost being, “What should the museum do to slow down the deterioration of these metal objects?” The two institutions embarked on a collaborative research project aimed at answering this question. Existing literature supplied best practices, but the Museum wanted solutions specific to its needs and priorities. The Museum’s collections manager and CCAHA’s preventive conservation fellow worked together to investigate air quality on a modest budget and timeline. This case study explores the cost-effective and low-maintenance methods that were used to monitor environmental conditions, dust, acid off-gassing, and metal corrosion: dataloggers, sticky dust collectors, A-D Strips, and metal coupons. Evidence-based testing informed, educated, and initiated progress in collections care. The techniques can be adapted by a diverse range of collecting institutions that similarly do not have access to high-tech analytical equipment.
RÉSUMÉ
Les collections du musée de l'Indianapolis Motor Speedway comprennent des véhicules, des souvenirs, des œuvres d'art et des archives documentant l'histoire de l'Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Au cours d'une évaluation des besoins en matière de préservation menée par le Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts (CCAHA), le personnel du musée a souligné la présence de ternissures et de corrosion sur les trophées au sein de la collection de souvenirs. Cela a soulevé un certain nombre de questions, la principale étant : « Que doit faire le musée pour ralentir la détérioration de ces objets métalliques ? » Les deux institutions se sont lancées dans un projet de recherche collaborative visant à répondre à cette question. La littérature fournissait des recommandations générales, mais le musée voulait des solutions spécifiques à ses besoins et à ses priorités. Le gestionnaire des collections du musée et le Fellow en conservation préventive du CCAHA ont travaillé ensemble pour étudier la qualité de l'air avec un budget et un calendrier restreint. Cette étude de cas présente les méthodes économiques et nécessitant peu d'entretien qui ont été utilisées pour surveiller et mesurer les conditions environnementales, la poussière, les émanations d'acide et la corrosion du métal : appareils à mesure enregistrée, collecteurs de poussière collants, A-D Strips et coupons de métal. Les tests fondés sur des données probantes ont permis d'informer, d'éduquer et d'initier des progrès en matière de soins des collections. Ces techniques peuvent être adaptées par un large éventail d'institutions de collecte qui n'ont pas, de manière similaire, accès à des équipements analytiques de haute technologie. Traduit par Monique Benoît.
RESUMO
As coleções do Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum abrangem veículos, recordações, arte e arquivos que documentam a história do Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Durante uma avaliação das necessidades de preservação realizada pelo Centro de Conservação de Arte e Artefatos Históricos (CCAHA), a equipe do Museu detectou manchas e corrosão nos troféus da coleção de recordações. Isso levantou uma série de questões, sendo a principal delas: “O que o museu deve fazer para retardar a deterioração desses objetos de metal?” As duas instituições embarcaram em um projeto de pesquisa colaborativa com o objetivo de responder a essa pergunta. A literatura existente fornecia as melhores práticas, mas o Museu queria soluções específicas para suas necessidades e prioridades. O gerente de coleções do Museu e o fellow de conservação preventiva do CCAHA trabalharam juntos para investigar a qualidade do ar com um orçamento e cronograma modestos. Este estudo de caso explora os métodos econômicos e de baixa manutenção que foram usados para monitorar as condições ambientais, poeira, desgaseificação ácida e corrosão de metais: dataloggers, coletores de poeira pegajosos, tiras A-D e cupons de metal. Testes baseados em evidências informaram, educaram e iniciaram o progresso no cuidado das coletas. As técnicas podem ser adaptadas por uma gama diversificada de instituições de coleta que, da mesma forma, não têm acesso a equipamentos analíticos de alta tecnologia. Traduzido por Francisco Vieira.
RESUMEN
Las colecciones del Museo del Autódromo de Indianápolis (Motor Speedway Museum) comprenden vehículos, antiguos objetos de interés, arte y archivos, que documentan la historia del Autódromo de Indianápolis. Durante una evaluación de las necesidades de preservación realizada por el Centro de Conservación de Arte y Artefactos Históricos (CCAHA), personal del Museo observó deslucimiento y corrosión en los trofeos de la colección de antiguos objetos de interés. Esto hizo que surgieran varias preguntas, siendo la principal “¿Qué debería hacer el museo para ralentizar el deterioro de estos objetos de metal?” Las dos instituciones se embarcaron en un proyecto colaborativo de investigación, cuyo objetivo era responder esta pregunta. La literatura existente proporcionó prácticas adecuadas, pero el Museo quería soluciones específicas para sus necesidades y prioridades. El encargado de colecciones del Museo y el becario de conservación preventiva del CCAHA trabajaron juntos para investigar la calidad del aire con un presupuesto reducido y poco tiempo. Este estudio de caso explora los métodos rentables y de poco mantenimiento que se usaron para monitorear las condiciones ambientales, el polvo, la emisión de gases ácidos, y la corrosión de los metales: dataloggers, atrapa-polvo pegajoso, Tiras A-D, y cupones de metal. Las pruebas, basadas en la evidencia, informaron, educaron y dieron inicio a una etapa de progreso en el cuidado de las colecciones. Las técnicas se pueden adaptar a un amplio rango de instituciones que, al igual que esta, no tienen acceso a equipos para análisis de alta tecnología. Traducción: Mónica Pérez; revisión: Mirasol Estrada, Amparo Rueda, e Irene Delaveris.
Sources of materials
White non-indicating silica gel packets: Item No. 52085
Blue B-flute corrugated sheets: Item No. CB810
3M 415 polyester double-sided tape
Mylar 2 mil: Item No. 40252
Cotton muslin: Item No. ZZ-400U10
Unbuffered acid free tissue: Item No. UT30250R
Gaylord Archival
7282 William Barry Blvd.
Syracuse, NY 13212, USA
Tel: +1 (800) 448-6160
Packing materials sample book: Item No. TNW007000
Smooth grade 10G Tyvek (smooth): Item No. TNW001004
Marvelseal: Item No. TFM005001
Corrosion intercept film: Item No. TFM007001
Talas
330 Morgan Ave.
Brooklyn, NY11211, USA
Tel: +1 (212) 219-0770
Brita replacement water filter: Item No. OB03
Brita
Tel: +1 (800) 242-7482
Avery clear easy peel mailing labels
Manila file folders (to create frame for dust sampler)
Nitrile gloves
Polystyrene cups
Distilled water
Lint-free cotton pads or cloth
General merchandise retailers
Plugable USB 2.0 digital microscope with flexible arm observation stand
Amazon.com, Inc.
E-500 High capacity renewable small dehumidifier: Item No. 832856000084
Eva-Dry
12191 W Linebaugh Ave., #152
Tampa, FL 33626, USA
Tel: +1 (877) 382-3790
A-D strips
Image Permanence Institute
70 Lomb Memorial Dr.
Rochester, NY 14623, USA
https://store.imagepermanenceinstitute.org
0.15 mm sterling silver foil
0.15 mm copper foil
Rio Grande Jewelry Supply
Tel: +1 (800) 545-6566
GASTEC dosimeter tube: Sulfur dioxide, 0.2 to 100 ppm, PK10: Item No. 3WUL4
GASTEC dosimeter tube: Hydrogen sulfide, 0.2 to 200 ppm, PK10: Item No. 3WUJ6
W. W. Grainger, Inc.
Tel: +1 (800) 472-4437
Acknowledgments
This project was funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. It would not have been possible without the confidence and guidance of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum and the Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts (CCAHA). The authors would also like to thank the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the AIC Materials Working Group, and Caroline Roberts.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Additional information
Funding
Notes on contributors
Roxine Dunbar
Roxine Dunbar (she/her) is the Collections Manager at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum. She is a graduate of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis’ (IUPUI) Museum Studies Master’s program. During her graduate career, Roxine was the collections intern for Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum and the Masonic Library and Museum of Indiana, as well as the digital collections intern for the Center for Digital Scholarship at IUPUI. Address: Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, 4750 W 16th St., Indianapolis, IN 46222, USA. Email: [email protected].
Lisa Imamura
Lisa Imamura (she/her) is a preventive conservator with a Master of Art Conservation degree from Queen’s University. She was the 2017–2018 National Endowment for the Humanities preventive conservation fellow at the Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts. Email: [email protected]