Conservators are trained professionals who focus on the care and restoration of objects that have cultural or historical value. Such objects may include paintings and sculptures, fine prints, textiles, books, photographs, archival records and paper, and archeological artifacts. These artifacts are considered valuable sources of information for study and research, specifically in their original form. Conservators develop skills that allow them to examine an artifact, learn about its original form and purpose, and develop a plan for the care and maintenance it requires for continued use, study, and long-term preservation. Conservators receive training that specifically relates to this process and includes advanced study in artistic, historical, and scientific topics that provide a greater understanding of the materials with which they work.

A conservator determines what an artifact is composed of and what is required to preserve an artifact in its original form or as close to that original...