Negotiation and flexibility: New challenges influencing the management or large, complex textile conservation projects

The paper discusses the challenges faced in managing large, complex projects while working in public view. The case study presented is that of conservation work carried out by Historic Royal Palaces (HRP) on Queen Anne’s State Bed and its mattresses. The aim was to make conservation an integral part of the visitor experience by explaining the ethical thought process behind the work and the practical skills required for conserving textiles at heritage sites. Negotiating with other departments, understanding who will be affected and explaining the reason and benefits of a project were central to making ‘conservation in action’ projects successful. The study also describes HRP’s evolution towards using social media platforms as a tool for sharing their ‘behind the scenes’ work more easily with a wider audience. They experimented with different platforms such as blogs featuring conservator-led content about technical details without jargon, avoiding repetition between blog posts. Overall, carrying out conservation work in front of visitors can add value to visitor experiences, provided it does not disrupt daily activities at heritage sites. Conservation professionals need to collaborate closely with colleagues from other departments such as interpretation or learning teams when planning on-site conservation-in-action projects.