Conservation and Preservation

Mount Vernon's Curatorial Collection consists of more than 15,000 objects including furniture, metals, ceramics, glass, paintings and prints. Part of Mount Vernon’s mission is to hold these collections in trust for future generations, and their preservation is a priority.

To ensure proper care, an on-site conservator maintains a laboratory for examining, researching, and treating collection objects. Additional collection pieces are conserved by specialists contracted by Mount Vernon to focus on a particular medium—such as upholstery or works of art on paper. In all cases, conservators utilize science, technology, and the latest methods to sustain the collection for posterity.