Static museum and heritage objects are complex enough, but the issues expand rapidly once items contain operational mechanisms. In many cases, operability is fundamental to understanding why an object was important in the first place.
Take for instance the original Apple iPod with its two concentric circles on the scroll wheel. Before this, only stylus tablets had a surface that responded to tactile movement. Without the operability (or archival footage demonstrating how the device worked) the technological leap encompassed by the iPod is lost.
A Space Invaders machine is little more than a “coloured coffee table with buttons on it” if there isn’t operability.
Bridging the divide between being an Objects Conservator and having Electricians qualifications has meant that my career has included working on a range of equipment that many conservators have had to put in the “too hard basket” or just got the staff electrician to take a look at.
When operation of museum equipment is necessary, safety of the public, the operators and the artwork or object itself becomes a critical step in preparation for display.
A number of key treatments through my career spring to mind and I will cover them in coming posts.