The Restoration Workshops at the National Roman Museum work to prevent deterioration of, conserve, maintain and restore the works and pieces displayed and those kept in storage through study, analysis and interpretation of data on component materials and operational techniques.
The activities undertaken by the Restoration Workshops are performed on various types of works and decorated surfaces, mostly of archaeological origin, produced using different materials and techniques:
- stone and mosaic objects
- frescos and stuccoes
- objects made of ceramic and glass
- metal materials and jewellery
- finds made of bone and ivory
I. Artifacts of various materials being restored
II. Study and restoration work of bronze artifacts
III. Cleaning of glass olla fragments
The Restoration Workshops are responsible for designing, performing and managing specialist restoration projects, where necessary with external consultants, and perform systematic verification of the appropriate conditions for the correct conservation of objects through environmental microclimate monitoring of the rooms and display cases, with the support of diagnostic experts.
They are also responsible for moving and handling of the works and pieces housed in the four sites of the National Roman Museum and – in the case of temporary loans for exhibitions in Italy and abroad or for exhibitions at National Roman Museum sites – provide opinions on the suitability and conditions of the loan in relation to the state of conservation of the pieces, indicating certain requirements for packing, transport and display.
The Restoration Workshops also work with other MiBACT institutions to perform conservation and restoration, projects, research and trials. They cooperate with Italian and foreign universities and research institutes in diagnostic activities for conservation purposes and in restoration of works held by the National Roman Museum, and on programmes to apply new materials and products.
The Restoration Workshops at the National Roman Museum provide training internships for students on specialist courses at Italian and foreign restoration schools.
At the Restoration Laboratories of the National Roman Museum, training internships are carried out for students of specialized courses of the Italian and foreign Restoration Schools.
