Inland Seas Institute

The Ghosts of These Historic Ships Float On | National Trust for Historic Preservation The Ghost Fleet of the Potomac, a National Treasure of the National Trust, transformed from a WWI-era graveyard to a natural sanctuary for protected species.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art created this short, informative video on the processes involved in the creation and implementation of conservation treatments.

Conserving Michelangelo Watch a video showing the conservation of a Michelangelo drawing on loan from Christ Church Picture Gallery, Oxford, in preparation for the exhibition Michel...

Mackinac State Historic Parks officially opened today! When you visit this season, be sure to check out the objects Inland Seas Institute has conserved that are on display in the Shipwreck Museum (next to the Lighthouse in Mackinaw City), the Commanding Officers Quarters (Colonial Michilimackinac), and the Soldiers Barracks (Fort Mackinac, Mackinac Island). Happy May Day!

Back to work (even in the rain)...Happy Opening Day!


www.mackinacparks.com

I had the opportunity yesterday to visit the Officer's Quarters at Colonial Michilimackinac to see the artifacts Inland Seas Institute conserved in March 2016. The exhibit is excellent!

View of Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse from Mackinac Bridge. The Shipwreck Museum is the dark brown building.

It's a bit chilly out today. View of the Mackinac Bridge from Old Point Mackinac Lighthouse.

It was time to remove of the identification tag put in place sometime after the object was recovered in the 1960s. The brass plate now has an accession number that Mackinac State Historic Parks will use to keep track of the object in its collection.

Initial cleaning resulted in the discovery of red paint around the lettering used to highlight the builder's name, date, and ship's name.

Ever wonder why museum professionals always wear gloves when handling metal objects? Oil containg acids, lipids, proteins, and sugars coat the surface of our hands. When we touch metal, that oil transfers to the object. If not cleaned immediately, the oil transfer can create a localized corrosion that etches the object's surface into the shape of a dark colored fingerprint or palmprint. The photos below show two such examples that were found on the W. H. BARNUM Engine Plate during the conservation assessment. After the conservation treatment is complete, this object will only be handled with gloves and housed in a climate controlled environment to preserve this historic object for the enjoyment of all visitors to the Mackinac State Historic Parks Shipwreck Museum for many years to come.