The Museum Studies at George Washington University in Washington, DC., provides a broad range of training and research opportunities for museum professionals. Within this program, my focus area is Collections Management, which is the area of study related to the care, protection, movement and organization of objects and artifacts within a museum collection.

In the spring of 2000, I took a class called “Preventative Conservation Techniques,” and conducted research under Carolyn Rose, the Chair of the Anthropology Department of the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution. In Professor Rose’s class, we researched factors that can lead to the physical deterioration of museum objects; then, we researched how to maintain stable museum environments for object care and display, to prevent the acceleration or deterioration of damage to an object. We learned that this policy of “preventative conservation” is one of the most economical and pro-active ways to lengthen the life of museum objects. Through protective care, handling, storage and display of objects, their inevitable deterioration can be slowed or halted in such a way that future conservation work can be lessened, or even prevented.

One of our projects for this class was to monitor environmental conditions in museum exhibition and storage areas. Some of the conditions that we monitored included: lighting, temperature, relative humidity, accessibility to the object/physical contact and protection from natural disaster. We also researched storage methods, and conducted experiments on a variety of packing materials to determine their appropriateness for use with specific objects and materials.

Going into the NSF/Monbukagakusho Summer Fellowship program, I was interested in conducting similar research and experiments at the Museum of Ethnology (Minpaku) in Osaka. I was particularly hoping to focus my research on the following areas:

• Care of objects: Through observation of object handling, shipping and packing, I wished to analyze differences between the methods used in our respective countries. I was also interested in learning about the documentation process to accompany outgoing loans, such as condition reports. I wanted to learn about the kinds of environmental controls that are used in exhibition and storage. Finally, I wanted to learn about the museum’s inventory process, and then see how this information in integrated into the museum’s record-keeping systems.

• Object exhibition: I wanted to monitor the exhibition spaces, to observe how they fit the needs of the objects, as well as the needs of the visitor. Also, in the United States, security and accessibility have become increasingly important issues in museums, so I wanted to see how these issues were addressed in Japan. Last, Japan has issues with natural disasters that are not as prevalent in many areas of the United States, such as typhoons and earthquakes, so I was interested in learning how these phenomena are approached in the museum environment.

• Museum Technology: I was interested in learning about the database software that is used at Japanese museums. Also, I wanted to research how newer technologies are being incorporated into the Japanese museum environment, such as scanning and digital imaging.

• Conservation: In the United States, some larger museums have on-site conservators on site, but many museums contract out for conservation work on objects. I wanted to learn how object conservation is done in Japan. If conservation work is done on-site, I wanted to learn about the kinds of projects in which the Museum engages, the materials used, and the amount of work that is completed on an object.

• Day to Day Activities: I wanted to observe the day-to-day activities at the museum, including tours, education programs, and other special programs, to gain a better understanding of regular operation policies of a Japanese museum.

• Other sites: To the extent of our abilities during this research program, I also wanted to observe and analyze object care and exhibition techniques in Japanese museums and historic sites. Second, I wished to learn about techniques that are unique or particularly useful to environments, institutions or situations found in Japan. Third, I wished to determine some of the challenges in collections care for Japanese museums, and museum professionals.

• History of Museum Development in Japan: In this research period, I wished to access whatever resources available to learn about the history and development of museum practices in Japan.

At the beginning of the summer, I concentrated my research on an analysis of the host institution, Minpaku. I met with my advisor, Dr. Morita, for site tours and informational interviews. Dr Morita introduced us to fellow staff members, explained many of the innovative technological developments at work at Minpaku, and introduced us to some of his research projects. I also was able to conduct research in the Minpaku library, in order to learn about the historical background of museums and museum practices in Japan.

Dr. Morita also encouraged our visits to other sites for comparative observation. As a result, in the second half of the summer we were able to visit a large number of museums and historic properties, in order to observe the practices being implemented throughout the country. I visited over fifty museums and historic sites (including castles, shrines and historic homes) throughout Japan. I also conducted primary research via meetings with museum professionals in the Kansai area.

A major limitation of our research was the timing of the project. After arriving in Osaka, we learned that a large number of Minpaku staff utilize the summer months to conduct their own research projects, so in many cases staff members were not on site for the majority of the summer. As a result, interviews with museum staff were extremely difficult to arrange.

In addition, the museum does not appear to be accustomed to hands-on or interactive internship projects. Although our independent research was encouraged, we were not equally successful in achieving our goals of becoming integrated into the museum staff during our research period. This meant that I was not able to achieve several of my research goals.

Not surprisingly, the language barrier was a challenge as well. Despite having intermediate Japanese language ability, I was not able to ask difficult or technical questions, or to speak with staff members at length about museum practices. So, sometimes I was able to observe interesting equipment or display techniques, but we were unable to fully grasp their purpose, or ask for clarification.

Nevertheless, despite these challenges, the research experience was very rewarding and worthwhile. My results, though not quite what I expected, were nevertheless thought-provoking and valuable.

Essentially, I had greater success achieving some of my research goals than others. My research topics that focused on hands-on and interactive activities, such as researching care of objects or conservation practices, were almost impossible to achieve. This internship experience was very different to previous internships that I have had in United States, where interns are actively included in the staff’s activities. Active participation in the museum’s day-to-day object-related activities was not possible, and any research results were gauged by observation only. Nevertheless, I did appreciate the efforts of my supervisor, Dr. Morita, to introduce me to some of the technological initiatives at the museum, to which we would not have been introduced otherwise.

Gathering data on object exhibition techniques, on the other hand, was an achievable exercise. I was given an enormous amount of freedom and independence to visit sites and exhibitions. In fact, I would say that this internship probably provided more freedom than an equivalent internship would provide in the United States. As a result, I was able to go to far more museums and other properties than I was expecting. I found it very interesting and valuable to observe day-to-day activities--such as tours, educational programs and technological initiatives--at sites other than my host institution.

Finally, Minpaku’s library was very extensive, and I was granted full use of the facilities for the duration of the fellowship. I was able to find some very valuable sources to trace the history of museum development in Japan, a topic about which it was very difficult to find information in the United States.

Ultimately, however, I felt that my research results ended up being fairly subjective. My observations might be interesting, and hopefully are accurate, but are nevertheless simply my own perspective. I feel the research would have been more valuable if I had been able to have greater interaction with museum professionals, and therefore differing opinions and perspectives on my observations. Nevertheless, the seven weeks of the internship period passed very quickly, and to be honest I am pleased that we were able to accomplish as much observation as we did in that amount of time.

The next section is an excerpt from my report submitted to my Master’s degree program at George Washington University, my home university, after which another section provides a brief summary of my observations about collections care in exhibition spaces at various museums in Japan.

This summer, I was hoping to focus my research on preventative conservation techniques in Japanese museums today. Before coming to Japan, I was working on the assumption that Japan, as a very technologically developed nation, would offer numerous examples of advanced exhibition and storage techniques of museum objects. I also expected that ideas of “preventative conservation”-- storing, exhibiting and caring for museum objects in such a way to slow or halt their deterioration, thereby reducing or eliminating future conservation needs--would be well developed, particularly at my host institution, Minpaku. Essentially, I was expecting that, just as in the United States, a primary objective of Japanese museums would be to maintain a constant climate and stable environment in museum galleries and storage. I also expected that an aim of Japanese museum technology would be to better monitor the environmental conditions found in galleries, ranging from climate control to protection from earthquakes.

Over the course of this summer, however, I discovered that these assumptions were not entirely accurate. In fact, I would say that I saw very few instances of preventative conservation at work in Japanese museum exhibition techniques. Instead, I often saw exhibition standards that I found to be surprisingly problematic?such as open exhibition cases, mounts that were clearly causing stress on the object, extremely high light levels, and so on. In fact, some of the most extreme examples of poor climate control that I observed were at very illustrious museums. As far as conditions in storage facilities, I was only able to observe storage facilities at Minpaku, so I am hesitant to make sweeping generalizations based on observations from only one site.

What kinds of conditions, then, did I observe? Most of the museums that I visited were centrally climate-controlled, with objects usually being exhibited in cases or on open-air platform-type displays. When objects are cased, separate climate control does not appear to be utilized inside the cases. For example, in many of the museums that I visited, the object case doors were closed and locked, but not sealed or airtight. Display cases were usually glass, and often quite long, sometimes running the entire length of the wall. Mixed-media objects are usually displayed in long cases like these (i.e., paper, fabric, wood and metal objects were all displayed within the same case). I saw very few instances of object mounts being designed to fit the object; often, objects were displayed on plastic rests, laying on top of felt-covered or fabric-covered platforms. Labels were almost always placed next to the object, inside the case.

Cases were usually lit from within by unfiltered fluorescent light; usually the galleries were also lit by a ceiling lighting system. In other words, objects generally seem to be exposed to very high levels of light.

I saw almost no evidence of environmental monitoring either inside or outside the cases. I can only assume that it is not common practice in Japan to use hygrothermographs and pH strips in cases or in galleries. In fact, I saw only two examples of a hygrothermograph being used in a museum exhibition space, and in one of those cases the hygrothermograph wasn’t working! I very occasionally (in less than five sites visited) observed silica gel being utilized to monitor humidity levels inside a case, and often the silica gel clearly had not been changed in some time. In one museum, particularly humidity-sensitive objects, such as lacquer and paper screens, were exhibited in cases with glasses of water placed in the corners to maintain humidity levels. I also saw very few instances of pest strips being used inside cases or in gallery exhibition spaces.

Interior “open-air” exhibits were almost always displayed on some type of raised platform, and there was almost always a sign in Japanese, and usually in English, requesting that the visitor not touch the object. Often there was some kind of rope or other barrier to discourage the visitor from climbing up onto the display.

Earthquake protection in Japanese museums is achieved through the use of fishing wire to secure the object within display cases. Quite simply, the objects are secured to their mount, or to the base, with fishing wire either tied to the object or wrapped around the object. This technique is very widespread, and I only visited one museum, the Museum of Oriental Ceramics in Osaka, that had an alternative method in place. When asking an acquaintance, who is a conservator, about this practice, I was assured that the use of fishing wire is not uncommon in earthquake-prone areas, and in fact it is also used in California; so, this method of earthquake protection must have proven over time to be effective.

In general, signage about visitors’ access to objects was rather consistent in Japanese museums. In almost all cases, “no photography” and “no touch” signs were very common, and they were often in both Japanese and English. In some other museums, I also saw signs with additional cautions, such as “no laser pointers.” In addition, most of the museums that I visited were liberally staffed with uniformed docents or security officers, who keep an eye on the galleries and the visitors. Once I was approached by one of these docents and requested to take my notes with a pencil rather than a pen; she then provided a pencil for me to use. However, I never observed a docent or guard requesting that a visitor not touch an object, or not use a laser pointer, even though I saw visitors doing exactly that.

Occasionally museums exhibited large objects outside (usually transportation-related objects such as aircraft, boats, or similar), in courtyards or an adjoining outdoor space. In the three museums where I saw such objects exhibited, I saw no evidence of efforts being made to protect the objects from the environment, or from visitor contact.

This project was effective as a general overview to Minpaku and to other museums and preservation sites in Japan. However, it did not particularly help provide opportunities for training and development, either in Japan during the duration of the fellowship, or at a later date.

Interestingly, however, Minpaku does offer a training program for museum professionals in developing countries; this program runs from August to December. Our fellowship overlapped with this training program for a week or so at the end of the summer. Dr. Morita kindly invited us to meet the participants in this program, and to hear their presentations about their host museums in their home countries. This experience, though brief, was extremely interesting and valuable. I wish that it might have been possible for us to have spent more time with these museum professionals from other countries.

In the museum field today, as well as many other fields, international collaboration is increasingly important and desired. One reason for this is that it is very difficult to imagine international standards of care for objects, as well as the procedures by which these objects are moved and kept, without “seeing it with your own eyes.” Primarily for this reason, I felt that the National Science Foundation/Monbukagakusho Summer Program was very valuable.

Although the National Science Foundation/Monbukagakusho Summer Program did not provide integrated, hands-on experience at our host museum, it did provide an excellent introduction to museums in Japan. I hope this knowledge will be useful in my future museum career to help facilitate international cooperative efforts between the United States and foreign nations, including Japan, such as international exhibitions and object loans. This research fellowship was extremely valuable to me for shaping a greater understanding of my field, expanding my world-view, and stimulating my thinking on the purpose and effectiveness of museums internationally.

I also feel certain that this program’s contributions to my life will not be fully evident until later in my career. One example is an unusual incident that occurred to me a month after I left Japan. At that time, I was conducting research in Nepal. Much to my surprise, in Kathmandu I met a researcher from my host facility in Japan! Although he and I had never met in Osaka, we met through mutual museum contacts in Nepal. This kind of contact with colleagues, therefore, was a very valuable result of this program.

I would like to continue research in the United States to determine how, and to what extent, data and techniques from Japan have been disseminated to the United States. I would particularly like to research collaborative efforts that have been conducted between the two countries.