As conservators, we are often preoccupied with the most dramatic misfortunes which could befall our collections; we imagine events such as natural disasters, or the danger of butterfingers from an untrained handler. In conservation, we are taught of the ten agents of deterioration for collections, chief among them are those mentioned above.
However, a factor of equal importance which can cause unmitigated damage if left unchecked comes from an unlikely source: bugs. If allowed access to their material of choice, certain pests can cause a whole lot of damage. To prevent this, we undertake a process called integrated pest management.
In such a large public space as a museum, where people come and go, and doors are left open for a large portion of the day, completely eradicating pests would be an impossible task.
What we try to do instead is prevent large numbers of certain pests living in the places we do not want them to be. In essence, we catch some pests, monitor their numbers and put in place cleaning or environmental processes to prevent them from living there.
Not every object in the collection is at risk from pest damage: certain materials such as stone and metal are quite resistant to it. Therefore, we must think very carefully about which areas or objects we want to monitor in particular, or which are the most susceptible.
A Panhard Levassor Motorcar dating from the 1890s
The car above by French makers Panhard & Levassor was the first imported to England. This model is on display in Making the Modern Worldin the Science Museum.
The conservation team has placed a pheromone pest trap here to check for moths. At first glance, it is not immediately clear why you’d chose to monitor moth presence in a car. A closer look at the car will reveal the material-covered seats.
We would be concerned if there was an increase in moth numbers near this object, as they particularly like to snack on clothing and fabrics.
Can you spot the hidden trap? Sometimes we have to be creative with where we hide our traps, so they are not too obvious.
There are two types of traps: blunder traps and pheromone traps. Blunder traps are essentially just a sticky pad to trap any little critters that walk or crawl by. Pheromone traps are similar; however, the sticky pad also contains the pheromones of female clothes moths to attract males.
Traps of both types are spread throughout the museum building: in galleries and showcases; but also in back of house areas such as the labs and object storage areas. These traps are then collected and replaced at regular intervals throughout the year to identify and count pests.
For pheromone traps, identification is straightforward because the trap only attracts one species. So, all you need to do is count how many are on the trap and bin the evidence. If the number is high, we will start to look for causes and introduce deeper cleaning practices to the area.
After collection traps will typically look like this. A mix of dust, dirt, museum pests and regular pests.
For blunder traps, we’ll collect the traps and get a more up-close look at what they contain. They will be put under a microscope, and we’ll identify which pests are lurking in the museum. These can broadly be defined as collection pests and non-collection pests.
We’ll largely ignore the presence of insects such as spiders or ants as they do not pose a risk to the collection. For collection pests, it is a case of how many were found, where, and what they eat. Sometimes these pests can be an indicator of environmental problems you may have.
For example, if you have lots of silverfish, this could indicate a moisture problem, as these insects are attracted to damp environments. The next step would be to assess where the trap was located to see if this could pose a risk to collection objects.
Here’s a closer look at one of our museum pests, we’ll have reference photos like this to help when we try to identify our catch.
Pest traps are checked every three months. While pest control might not be the most glamorous part of museum work, they are an extremely important part of ensuring the long-term preservation of our collection for future generations.
10 years ago, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who with a fantastic exhibition. Doctor Who and Me: 50 years of Doctor Who Fans celebrated its fans, their stories and their collections. Approximately 200 objects of different sizes and materials went on display, including a life size Dalek, Tardis and Cyberman—all of which I knew nothing about. I moved to the UK in 2013, and what a way to be introduced to such a pivotal part of British popular culture!
Now, 10 years on, and to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who, I will take you on a journey through how we look after the objects that made its unforgettable theme tune, which to me is one of the most gripping things about Doctor Who. The theme tune was made at the BBC’s Radiophonic Workshop and the objects used to make it are part of our permanent collection.
Conserving the Radiophonic Workshop Collection
The Radiophonic Workshop collection is composed of various musical instruments, such as drumsticks and bells, but also everyday objects like a chopstick, a lampshade and washers. They originally arrived to us in three boxes containing over 50 objects.
Part of my job as conservator is caring for them to ensure they are preserved while in storage and on display at the museum. Here are some improvements we made to guarantee their long-term care.
Replacement of inappropriate boxes with conservation-grade boxes
This means that all the materials used to make the new boxes have been tested and approved for use in contact with collection objects. They are inert and will not contribute to the further deterioration of the objects. The boxes I used are made of sturdy, chemically stable and heat resistant corrugated plastic. They also keep the objects away from dust.
One of the original boxes and packing in which the objects arrived at the museum.An archival box used for proper collection storage
Increased visibility of objects inside the box
I used dense, inert and acid-free foam and unbleached cotton tying tape to secure the objects in place. Importantly, all the objects inside each box are visible from the moment its lid is lifted—there is no overcrowding or overloading.
Carefully stored objects from the Radiophonic Workshop collection
All objects are labelled with their unique identification number
This minimises the unnecessary handling of objects. The labels are water and tear-proof, acid-free and inert. The pens used are also archival, acid-free, UV-resistant and waterproof.
Labelled objects from the collection
Careful handling
Throughout the process we use nitrile gloves to avoid transferring fingerprints to the surface of the objects, since the oils and sweat in our skin can become permanently etched onto the surface of objects.
Object are kept in a stable environment
I regularly monitor the humidity and temperature within the stores. By doing so I avoid the occurrence of corrosion to metal components or splitting of wooden joints. The new boxes also act as a barrier to any fluctuations in the environment.
Preparing objects for an exhibition
A selection of Radiophonic Workshop objects was recently on display in our exhibition Sonic: Adventures in Audio, an exciting display of the world of sounds and sound technologies.
Sonic Boom exhibition at the National Science and Media Museum
Prior to the display of any object on our exhibitions, conservators assess their stability by considering:
Object condition
A detailed condition report is carried out. Current condition information is recorded in our database and checks are performed at the end of each exhibition to monitor any changes before we return objects to the stores.
A condition report in our collection database
Object support
We seek to showcase our objects in the most interesting, engaging and accessible way possible without compromising their safety. This can be done in many ways, and we frequently use acrylic mounts. They are robust, lightweight, clear and inert. These supports are often made to measure, following the shape of the objects, making them ‘float’ in from of your eyes.
A custom object mountOne of the workshop’s instruments on its mount
Object sensitivity to light exposure
Some materials—such as paper, photographs, textiles—can be sensitive to the light in our galleries. Other materials, like wood, metals, glass and some plastics, are less sensitive. Conservators always measure the light levels in the exhibition spaces to preserve the objects on display against light damage, and that’s why at times, some sections of galleries are kept darker than others.
So, as the nation patiently waits for the new Doctor Who’s special episodes—and I sit to watch for my very first time—I’ll rest easily thinking that some things from Who’s history will be preserved forever (ish).
Still images from the display of the Virtual Heart model showing the way blood moves through the organ.
The complex and beautiful simulation of a beating human heart was created by bioengineer Dr Jazmín Aguado Sierra using scans of her own heart. It shows the complex interactions between electrical impulses, muscle contraction and blood flow in the heart – a feat only possible using supercomputer power.
Dr Aguado Sierra used her own data captured from sources including electrocardiographs that measured electrical impulses and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans of her heart tissues.
The anatomical data was then inputted into mathematical equations that described her heart’s workings and her virtual heart was created with the same technology commercialised by the Spanish startup ELEM Biotech and brought to life by MareNostrum, a high-performance supercomputer based at Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC-CNS), and VEGA, located in Maribor, Slovenia, which reproduced her heart in remarkable detail.
The Virtual Heart display located on the Engineers gallery showing bioengineer Dr Jazmín Aguado Sierra.
The simulation contains 5 billion data values, with each snapshot of her virtual heart changing every hundred thousandth of a second, and which operate at different length scales using distinct types of physics. If a human attempted the calculations and analysis, it would take almost 57 billion years.
But by using MareNostrum, and complex mathematical techniques employed by Dr Aguado Sierra and her colleagues at ELEM Biotech, just nine hours is needed.
The new model builds on earlier research and allows us to better understand this vital organ which beats 100,000 times a day to supply oxygen around the body.
The calculations can be adjusted to simulate different heart conditions, showing why a heart beats too fast, too slow or irregularly. Doctors and researchers can also test treatments before they are used on patients, and in the future, digital twins of entire bodies could be made, transforming how we could predict, diagnose and treat illness.
Visitors can see the Virtual Heart display and accompanying animation within the Bodies section of the Engineers gallery. This section examines collaborations between clinicians, medical engineers, and patients, and showcases real-world solutions that place people and their bodies at the heart of precision engineering practice.
Gallery view of the Virtual Heart on the Engineers gallery.
The Engineers gallery opened in June 2023, marking ten years of the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering – the world’s leading award for engineers.
The gallery celebrates our engineering heritage and showcases innovations through the global lens of the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering with current and past prize winners featured throughout.
