An Integrated View of Ethnographic Heritage

Enhancement and Preventive Conservation of the Technical Reserves in the Ethnography Division of the Museo de La Plata

Abstract

The Ethnography Division of the Museo de La Plata preserves a collection of approximately five thousand pieces from various sources. Many of the additions were part of the founding collections at the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century. In 2021, a project was launched to enhance the value of the collection that focused on two goals: 1) refurbishing the space and relocating the collection and 2) improved documentation. Both goals feed into each other to promote policies that supporting better care for and access to heritage. This article discusses the refurbishment of the collections from a comprehensive and preventive perspective. The situation was critical, caused by an internal move in 2007 and its postponement for more than ten years. Among the factors that required urgent intervention were those related to the space and its infrastructure, the furniture, and the storage itself. Therefore, among the main causes of deterioration were: poor storage space, excessive handling, contaminants, the presence of pests, inaccessibility, and lack of security. The various stages of work required a flexible management strategy, with partial evaluations and redefinition of courses of action according to the availability of human and material resources. The prevailing organizational criterion was cultural affiliation, prioritizing collections from Argentina and developing interdisciplinary and recursive work. One of the most important challenges was to optimize space and seek greater accessibility in order to promote dissemination, consultation, and visits.