Effects of the environment on indoor cultural property
A recently published special issue of the "European Cultural Heritage Newsletter on Research" contains the contributions to a research workshop on the "Effects of the Environment on Indoor Cultural Property". The workshop, funded under the Environment and Climate research programme, was held in Wurzburg, Germany, in December 1995. This workshop was the first large-scale meeting concentrating specifically on research for the protection of indoor cultural heritage. The focus was on the presentation and discussion of new technologies for the assessment of the effects of environmental conditions on indoor works of art. Five indoor cultural heritage research projects, funded under the European Commission's Environment and Climate programme were presented individually. With a view to increasing the effectiveness of European research, a thematic network linking them together was established. The five projects presented were: - Assessment and monitoring the environment of cultural property (by the development of a glass-based sensor); - Deposition of gases and particles and their corrosive effect on surfaces of cultural and artistic value; - Deterioration and conservation of vegetable tanned leather; - From the quarry to the museum - atmospheric eutrophication and secular organic pollution influencing the cultural heritage; - ERA: Environmental research for art conservation (paintings). In addition, some 20 specific papers dealing with conservation and protection technologies for indoor cultural property were also presented at a successful and international event.