Series editors' preface - Wood Tools

techniques and rigorous grounding in scientific
methodology to foster the capacity to solve
conservation problems by following a systematic
approach, using precise research and critically
interpreting the results.
9.1.3 Professional organizations
The professional bodies for conservation and
for museums have done a great deal to carry
the conservation message and to promote the
development of conservation from a craftbased
activity to a profession in which there is
an accepted corpus of principles and methods.
They have worked hard to define acceptable
standards of behaviour for those wishing to call
themselves conservators, have lobbied to
achieve greater recognition for the profession,
have done much to reconcile the different perspectives
of those in the trade and those in
institutions and are working hard towards professional
accreditation. They can only do this
however with support from individual members
of the profession.
The International Institute for the
Conservation of Museum Objects was founded
in 1950 as a result of a series of international
discussions between 1946 and 1948. This
organization has been known as the
International Institute for Conservation of
Historic and Artistic Works (IIC) since 1959. It
was incorporated as a limited company in the
United Kingdom and its aims were ‘to improve
the state of knowledge and standards of practice
and to provide a common meeting ground
and publishing body for all who are interested
in and professionally skilled in the conservation
of museum objects’. IIC has over 3000
members in around 65 countries drawn both
from museum personnel and from professional
conservators working independently. Members
are enabled to keep abreast of technical
advances and in personal contact with their
colleagues world-wide through IIC’s publications
(Studies in Conservation and the
Bulletin), international congresses (held every
two years) and groups. IIC gave rise to independent
national groups in USA (AIC), Canada
(IIC-CG) and the United Kingdom (UKIC).
Specialist groups exist for furniture and
wooden objects within both AIC and UKIC.
Regional groups, with their own structure and
Conservation preliminaries 369
by-laws, operate autonomously with the
approval of the Council of IIC, in Austria,
France, Holland, Scandinavia and Japan.
ICOM, the International Council of
Museums, is a non-profit organization dedicated
to the improvement and advancement of
museums and of the museum profession. It
provides a world-wide communication network
for museum people and counts over 8000
members in some 120 countries. Its National
Committees coordinate a vast international
effort aimed at continuing improvement of
museums in their scientific, educational and
conservation roles. Its International specialized
committees and Affiliated Organizations group
together professionals representing the leading
authorities on a given type of museum and are
subdivided into working groups which study
various specific aspects of the overall discipline.
These include Scientific Examination of
Works of Art, Lighting and Climate Control,
Training in Conservation and Restoration and
many others including, more recently, a group
specializing in furniture and lacquer conservation.
All the international committees meet
together regularly to discuss new developments,
familiarize themselves with the latest
techniques and make recommendations which
are made available to ICOM members throughout
the world. ICOM is associated with
UNESCO as a category ‘A’ Non-Governmental
Organization and has been granted advisory
status by the United Nations Economic and
Social Council. It provides services and technical
assistance to UNESCO and to its Member
States through expert missions, the planning of
museums, the organization of meetings and the
preparation of publications. ICOM organizes
numerous expert meetings through the intermediary
of its National and International
Committees and every three years holds a
General Assembly and General Conference, the
proceedings of which are published. Membership
is open to those whose work is directly
linked to museums as well as to museum professionals
themselves.
The Canadian based Association for
Preservation Technology (APT) was first organized
in 1968, formally constituted in 1969 and
incorporated in 1975. It is an association of
preservationists, restoration architects, furnishings
consultants, museum curators, architectural
educators, archaeologists, craftspeople