Decanting the Musical instruments gallery, Victoria and Albert Museum, London

In February 2011 the Victoria and Albert Museum closed its musical instruments galleries as part a continuing program of gallery renewal. The gallery decant gave opportunity to a comprehensive condition survey of the roughly 300 instruments. A simple condition checklist helped to efficiently work through the gallery. The detailed overview of the collection and its condition made it possible to prepare current and future loans more accurately and to provide scholars with basic photographs. Handling guidelines specific to musical instruments were produced to make future handling by professionals and non-professionals safer for the objects.

The checklist can be viewed here:

musical-instruments-blanc-form-condition-checklist

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