Continuing to Make Progress

Preserving Our Cultural Properties

Our mission is to preserve the Tokyo National Museum collection which houses approximately 110,000 items of cultural properties. Preservation of cultural property involves balancing public access with conservation needs.

This requires a comprehensive approach which entails the precise application of preventive and remedial conservation in accordance with our long-term vision. We practice primary care as a comprehensive approach through regular clinical diagnosis, preventive measure and remedial treatment for cultural properties based on various experiences accumulated over the years and through latest research results.

Entire Flow

Ageing and Degradation　→　Practical Research and Examination　→　 Preventive Conservation　→　 Remedial Conservation　→　 Continuing to Make Progress

Continuing to Make Progress

The Tokyo National Museum has been able to achieve these conservation activities with the support of many specialists. In order to perform all of the necessary conservation activities, an enormous amount of both time and budget are needed. We, the Tokyo National Museum, would like to thank you for your understanding towards the importance of preserving important cultural properties.

Various Forms of Daily Care

Ukiyo-e prints are removed from acidic mounting boards and remounted on acid-free boards.

Swords are treated periodically to prevent rust.

Investigating

Records must be kept to thoroughly document an object's condition while performing investigations and curative conservation. Over the past ten years, the museum has produced nearly 6,000 condition reports. If the same pace is maintained, it will take nearly 6200 years to document all of the 110,000 objects in the museum's collection.

Condition of Store Rooms

The storage areas are being improved gradually by using a straightforward and steady method of assembling various elements. Ideal conditions are 22℃ and a relative humidity of 55%.

Accomplishments over the Past Ten Years

Through cooperation between conservators and non-museum specialists, conservators are able to perform minimum treatment within the museum on over 800 items each year. By improving the environmental conditions and performing maintenance more frequently, it is now possible to suppress the necessity of performing full scale treatment.