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Conservators and Conservation Technicians

Experience, Skills, and Personality Traits

Students should obtain as much experience in the field of conservation as possible by participating in internships and part-time jobs at museums, historical societies, private conservation laboratories, and other employers of conservation professionals.

Conservation can be physically demanding. Conservators and conservation technicians need to be able to concentrate on specific physical and mental tasks for long periods of time. Endurance, manual dexterity, and patience are often needed to complete projects successfully. Work on one piece of art could take months or even years; because of the fragile nature of the materials, conservation work should never be rushed. Finally, an important personal quality to have for this line of work is a respect and love for art. Conservators and conservation technicians should appreciate the value in all art forms (regardless of personal bias) and treat all pieces that they work on with the utmost care.