Editorial

Welcome to the 50th edition of the 'V&A Conservation Journa'l. A time for celebration for reaching the golden age. This bumper edition, which includes articles from many of the individual studios, reflects changes that have occurred in the Department since the first edition of the Journal was published. It is not intended as a retrospective, rather, it explores where we are now and considers some of the changes to be faced in the future.

Pauline Webber's article reminds us that the 'V&A Conservation Journal', which was first printed in October 1991, was established to improve communication within and beyond the Museum. This has certainly been very effective, the Journal is now sent to over 800 different locations and is held by conservation libraries throughout the world. The Journal is frequently used by the Museum to reflect excellence, attract sponsorship and to demonstrate our duty of care to the collections. Its impact has been far more wide reaching than originally anticipated.

Despite this success communication continues to be a concern, perhaps because our audience has changed. Now it is not sufficient to communicate with the Museum, conservators and conservation scientists. There is an increasing public awareness of and interest in 'conservation', whether it be concerning the environment through green issues and sustainability, the increasing effects of globalisation, or culture and identity of both the tangible and intangible heritage. Media interest in antiques and collectibles expands public knowledge of preservation, whilst global warming and biodegradation increases consciousness of materials and the way they interact with the environment.

Whilst the physical treatment of objects may remain a specialised and highly skilled activity, the concept of object/heritage conservation is no longer the exclusive preserve of conservators and conservation scientists.

Object/heritage conservation has an opportunity to become more involved with these issues through the Institute of Conservation. The Institute's new Chief Executive, Alastair McCapra, comments that 'there are reserves of energy in the membership as well as a strong desire to raise your game as a profession' and he aims to 'transform that energy and desire into real, tangible progress'. This must involve more openness and inclusiveness. Having increased communication so effectively with a printed copy of the Journal we are now taking the next (obvious) step of publishing it on the V&A website. This will make it accessible to all, in the spirit of Freedom of Information, and allow the use of multi-media and audiovisual to demonstrate the work of the Department more effectively (Campbell).

The Museum's approach to display and access has developed during the last 17 years. No longer are the collections the preserve of scholars, educators and designers but they are now intended to be relevant and accessible to the broadest audience. V&A visitor numbers exceeded two million for the first time in 2002/3. To maintain and exceed this figure, visitor needs and expectations must be accommodated and traditional approaches to display re-examined. Partnerships with other museums (e.g. Sheffield Galleries & Museum Trust) take the collections to a wider national audience and plans are in hand to create an international V&A collection. Early involvement of Conservation with the design and development of gallery spaces and storage areas can facilitate this for the future (Wheeler). The V&A now houses the 600,000 RIBA drawings and the RIBA archive, uniting them for the first time with the 35,000 V&A (RIBA) drawings within one building. Nash & Greig reflect on the partnership from a conservator's perspective.

Advances in the understanding of the impact of chemicals on both the environment and the human body have led to the loss of some chemicals for use in conservation. Safer, perhaps less effective substitutes must be found and traditional housekeeping techniques reintroduced into the Museum (Smith & Blyth). Changes in staff roles reflect the shift in emphasis towards non-interventive collections care. Preventive conservators and a preservation conservator maintain the core collections, whilst through better storage (Rutherston) and increased understanding of polymer science (Keneghan) more holistic approaches to preservation have evolved. The revised Ethics Checklist (Richmond) accepts that treatment of an object must be considered within the wider concepts of the needs of the whole collection.

Since 1991 the Department (and the Museum) has become increasingly reliant on information technology to record the condition and treatment of the collections, to communicate and to plan (Carpenter, Jiggins & Murray). Conservators and scientists spend increasing amounts of time at the computer terminal and the need for back-up, in the form of a highly skilled administrative section, who are able to keep up with latest developments, train and establish new systems is now essential for an effective functioning Conservation Department.

Research and development remains a vital role for the Department (Martin, Jordan & Oakley, Fearn). Advances in technology increasingly offer non-destructive ways to examine and research collections. The globalisation of research, changes in funding and the need to make research relevant to a wider audience is benefiting conservation. EU funding provides opportunities to share expertise, resources and knowledge and the Department has just successfully secured two AHRB grants for PhD studentships in partnership with Imperial College and the University of Southampton. That such funding is now accessible to conservation, is a considerable breakthrough for cultural heritage research.

What has remained constant throughout the years is the skill and expertise of the staff. Their understanding of the collections and intelligent questioning of all aspects of their work enables the Museum to represent damaged objects in their original and beautiful form (Whalley, Vidler) and to understand original methods of manufacture (Catcher & Burgio). Through their enthusiasm and personal interest conservators can kindle or rekindle interest in areas for the Museum's collections which perhaps have been overlooked in the past (Hillyer, Powell & Allen).

Whatever the next 50 editions of the Journal hold I am sure that it will continue to reflect this expertise as it is through this that the knowledge of the collections, its accessibility and its longevity continues to expand. Well done to everyone involved in the V&A Conservation Journal whether that be author, editor, administrator and nowadays - webmaster.