The Art Conservation Department occupies a superb, modern space in Rockwell Hall.
Newly renovated and expanded, the 6,434-square-foot space includes an exquisitely designed conservation library, suite of studios, laboratories, conference room, and lounge.
Designed to support conservation teaching and research, the labs and studios include well-equipped workshops, studios, and laboratories for each conservation specialty of objects, paintings, and paper conservation, as well as for instruction in conservation imaging, examination, and documentation, and conservation science.
Noteworthy are the department’s radiographic facility and digital imaging lab, its analytical instrumentation and its study collections of pigments and other historical materials used by artists and craftsmen. The department has its own extensive branch library that is supplemented by E. H. Butler Library.
Supporting the department's unique four-semester curriculum in examination and documentation are outstanding technical examination and photographic resources at the forefront of the field. Our brand new facilities on the third floor of Rockwell Hall include an examination/documentation lab, dark room, copy stand room, x-ray room, and digital darkroom.
Our science labs complement all of our conservation specialties with up-to-date equipment for materials analysis and research.
Our specialized conservation library is home to over 4,000 conservation texts and was specifically designed to be a quiet respite for our graduate students and faculty. The department's extensive library is supplemented by collections in E. H. Butler Library.
The department has two generously sized objects conservation studios equipped with both modern and traditional tools and equipment. These labs are complemented by our woodworking and metals shop.
Our paper lab features state-of-the-art equipment, lighting, and conservation instrumentation expressly designed for graduate paper conservation students. The paper lab suite also houses separate lab spaces for both photo and book conservation.
We have two paintings conservation studios with ample room to conserve a variety of paintings, large and small, in addition to a wall of pigments used by our students to create period appropriate media.
