Preservation Futures: Science

Architectural conservation is dedicated to the belief that the tangible matters. As a species, we advocate for conservation of the material past because that heritage is a record of what we can know and share of ourselves. Without that record the present and future have no reference. The term “conservation,” first used in the context of heritage only in the 1930s, signaled an important and conscious turn from earlier craft-based “restoration.” By contrast, “conservation” represented a more methodologically-framed approach, based on the techniques and language of science in preserving works of artistic and historical significance.

In recent years, the field has come to challenge the assumption of the singular "truths" of the material reality of cultural works as revealed by science. What has emerged is a more multi-vocal understanding of the many truths associated with cultural heritage and its construction. This panel will examine the role of science in shaping conservation practice and its embrace of a more culturally-informed understanding of heritage values.  

This event is the final installment in the Preservation Futures Roundtable Series, dedicated to understanding how the preservation field has changed – and is changing – in light of urgent calls for social and environmental justice and better science. Building on the growing discourse around preservation and heritage futures, the PF Roundtables explore the direction of our department in light of these conversations.  

This is a hybrid event. To attend virtually, please register via Zoom

If you require any accessibility accommodation, such as live captioning, audio description, or a sign language interpreter, please email news@design.upenn.edu. Please note, we require at least five (5) business days’ notice.