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New Lab Teaches Students How to Preserve the Past

The Department of Anthropology opened a new laboratory this fall to train students how to preserve objects for museum collections.

The Conservation Laboratory is in Butte 305. Georgia Fox, co-director of the Museum of Anthropology, developed the lab to train students about the importance and methodologies of archaeological conservation. The anthropology department has a certificate program in museum studies and an emphasis in museum studies as an option for master's students.

"Many of our students are employed by institutions that are responsible for caring for existing collections and/or are involved in cultural heritage management," said Fox. A new course, Conservation of Archaeological and Ethnographic Resources, is being taught for the first time this fall. Students will work with objects from campus collections as well as from outside sources.

Fox said the conservation lab is the only one of its kind among U.S. universities on the West Coast. The lab was funded by a $4,000 grant from CSU, Chico's Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching and a matching grant from the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences.