The conservation department of the Finnish Museum of Photography is responsible for the maintenance and preservation of the museum's collections. The museum has nationally significant expertise in matters related to the preservation and conservation of photographs.
The conservation department is also responsible for photographing the museum's collections for backup and reference copies, as well as inspecting the condition of works to be exhibited before and after exhibitions.
The conservation department actively interacts with national and international organizations in the field by participating in conferences and projects, offering internships to conservation students, and organizing training related to the care and preservation of photographs.
The conservation department is responsible for assessing the condition and storage conditions of the most important photographs in the nation.
One of the objectives of the museum’s conservation department is to produce guidelines for photographic archives to support the acquisition and management of collections. The recommendations and guidelines, developed in collaboration with various archives, address general collection policies and division of responsibilities in photographic archives, as well as the handling, cataloguing, and conservation of collections. Achieving these goals requires ongoing education in the care of photographic archives.
Contact: Head Conservator Laura Sallas, laura.sallas@fmp.fi
