Connecting to Collections Care

Hello!

My museum recently had a few framed aerial photographs donated. They are quite dirty and the photographs have stuck to the glass in some places. Any tips or tricks on how to gently remove the photograph from the glass frame?

Thank you!

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Elizabeth Evaul
Glasgow
United Kingdom
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Hi Elizabeth,

If any of the photographs are stuck to the glass, it's best not to try to remove them yourself. A professional photograph conservator has the right tools and a controlled humidity setup to safely separate them. Since you're in the UK, I'd recommend checking the Find a Conservator page on the Institute of Conservation, as I'm not as familiar with private practices there.

In the meantime, here are some links that might be useful:

Practical Strategies for the Care of Film and Glass Negatives

Archived Webinar: Photograph Care

YouTube Recording

Best,

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Kelly Liu
Conservation Technician
Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture
Los Angeles
United States
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