[BCMA] Restoration of Natural History Collection After Smoke Damage & Soot

[Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.]

Hello Tina,

                You’ve likely heard this already, and you may have already been in touch, but I could contact the Canadian Conservation Institute (https://www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/corporate/emergency-advice.html). They have a 24 hour line you can call.

William Shepherd
Collections Officer
Swift Current Museum
44 Robert Street West
Swift Current, Saskatchewan
S9H 4M9
Phone: 306-778-4815
Fax: 306-778-4818

Archives: http://sain.scaa.sk.ca/collections/swift-current-museum
Library: https://www.librarything.com/profile/SwiftCurrentMuseum
Website: http://www.swiftcurrent.ca

From: bcma-bounces at lists.vifa.ca <bcma-bounces at lists.vifa.ca> On Behalf Of Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.
Sent: September 13, 2018 7:30 PM
To: Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv. <bcma at lists.vifa.ca>
Subject: [BCMA] Restoration of Natural History Collection After Smoke Damage & Soot

Hi,

We have received some great information from Kasey Lee, Senior Conservator from the RBC Museum, on the questions below and are wondering if anyone else has suggestions or has been through something similar.

The Hornby Island Natural History Centre (www.hornbynaturalhistory.com<http://www.hornbynaturalhistory.com>) is located in the Hornby Island Community School which had a devastating fire on Sat, Aug. 26th. The entrance and office areas were destroyed, and extensive damage was done to the library. Our collection was protected by a metal fire door and appeared intact. However, there is fine soot over everything and smoke damage. We will have to relocate the entire collection for the short term into two metal storage containers on site behind the school. We have already moved our taxidermy collection into a clean, dry, but unheated insulated container. No electrical power available yet.

Our first concern is preserving our taxidermy collection. We have 46 specimens, all local birds, except 3 mammals, a beaver, and 2 river otters. All the mounts were done in the past 15 years. So no arsenic except possibly in the two older donated specimens. The small forest birds are in a long glass case. The others are mounted on wood bases or hanging such as the trumpeter swan, the eagle, and some of the owls.

Please help by connecting us with people who may be able to answer some of our questions and / or a taxidermist with experience dealing with fire damage / restoration.

1) How do we safely clean soot off the taxidermy collection?
2) Dealing with smoke damage: Is ozone treatment recommended or are there other processes? What are "hydroxyl radicals" which was recommended on one website?
3) Ideas for cleaning the diorama containing the small forest birds in a forest setting which is housed in a long glass case?
4) We may not be able to be back in the school for 18 months.  Suggestions for best conditions needed for storage of the collection? In a container or not?
5) If we can leave them in the insulated storage container what are the ideal humidity levels and temperature?

Bone collection
What is the best way to clean soot off our bone collection, ranging from large whale vertebrae to tiny delicate bird skulls?

Fossil collection
Are we correct in thinking that the fossils mainly ammonites, and baculites from Hornby from the Cretaceous period simply require wiping with a "smoke sponge"?

We would really appreciate any advice we can receive as soon as possible.

We can be reached at hornby.naturalhistory at gmail.com<mailto:hornby.naturalhistory at gmail.com>

We are also in the process of creating a GoFundMe campaign for restoring and relocating the collection.

Thank you,
Tina Wai
Hornby Island Natural History Centre

www.hornbynaturalhistory.com<http://www.hornbynaturalhistory.com>

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