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A 1922 photograph (detail) shows a repairer fitting a plaster face to a figure of King Thutmose III.
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150th Anniversary: Conservation Stories

The Met has been committed to the technical study and preservation of the works of art in its care since its founding in 1870. In conjunction with the exhibition Making The Met, 1870–2020, which traces the development of the Museum's collections and activities in honor of its 150th anniversary, we invite you to learn more about the history of conservation and science at The Met. A series of case studies has been chosen to introduce visitors—both in the galleries and online—to the fascinating ways that technical research and conservation treatments have contributed to our understanding of iconic objects in our collection. These stories serve as reminders of the multiple lives of artworks, their mutability and sometimes vulnerability, and the promise of new technologies to facilitate discoveries about even the most familiar objects.

For further reading on the history of the department, see Caring for The Met: 150 Years of Conservation.

Case Studies

Detail of a Degas bronze sculpture showing a young girl in a ballet dress gazing upward, her hair tied back with a satin ribbon.
The Evolution of Degas’s Little Dancer
Conservators at The Met share the history of the sculpture and the decisions made in the conservation of its tutu.
Detail of the Great Wave showing two boats on whitecapped blue waves with Mount Fuji in the distance
The Great Wave: Anatomy of an Icon
Scientists at The Met use modern technology to analyze the color and double woodblock printing process used to print Hokusai’s The Great Wave.
Close-up of the "Crown of the Andes" showing intricate goldwork and large, teardrop-shaped emeralds suspended in delicate gold settings.
Protecting the Crown of the Andes
A Met conservator, scientist, and curator restored the "Crown of the Andes" to ensure its stability and survival for future generations.
Detail of portrait showing the face of a dark-haired woman, Gertrude Stein, wearing dark brown against a brown background
A Face is a Face is a Face
Paintings conservators at The Met use recent technology to delve into the famous portrait of Gertrude Stein by Picasso.
Marble statue of an ancient Egyptian pharaoh wearing a headdress.
Queen Hatshepsut Restored
Learn how conservators at The Met restored the shattered statue of Hatshepsut, Queen of Egypt.
Detail of dress made from fake human bones
(Im)mortal Fashion: Iris van Herpen’s “Skeleton” Dress
This 3-D–printed nylon dress challenges the standard conservation approaches deployed by Costume Institute conservators in the preservation of fashion.
Detail of painting of a woman in a low-cut black dress looking off to the side.
Revealing Madame X
Researchers at The Met describe methods used to uncover the artist John Singer Sargent’s creative process.
A seated, nude woman having her hair combed
Precious Powder: The Fragility of Degas’s Pastels
Conservators at The Met describe the difficulties of preserving pastels.
Bronze statue of a figure playing a long flute-like instrument, with stylized features and intricate jewelry.
Recovering the Brilliance of a Benin Bronze
Conservators at The Met share findings from conserving a Benin bronze made with lost-wax casting.
A black and white photograph from November 4, 1936, of four conservators at work on various objects, including an anthropoid coffin of Harmose (36.3.172).
Caring for The Met: 150 Years of Conservation

Objects conservator Deborah Schorsch recounts the long history of conservation at The Met.