Conservation vs Restoration: What’s the Difference?

Museum-based Conservation Ethics

Updated 9/1/2026

Conservation vs Restoration

If you own, collect, or care for works of art or cultural heritage, you have likely encountered the terms conservation and restoration—often used interchangeably. While closely related, they do not mean the same thing, and understanding the difference is essential when deciding how an artwork should be treated.

As professional conservator-restorers, we are frequently asked:
“Does my artwork need conservation or restoration?” The answer depends on the artwork’s condition, materials, history, and intended use.

What Does a Conservator (or Restorer) Do?

Conservators—also called restorers in many European and Romance-language countries—are trained professionals who preserve artworks and cultural heritage for present and future generations.

Conservation-restoration is both: A hands-on, manual practice, and a theory-based discipline grounded in art history, chemistry, material science, and ethics.

A conservator’s work may include diagnosing an artwork’s condition, identifying causes of deterioration, Designing conservation and treatment plans, implementing preventive strategies, and carrying out carefully documented conservation or restoration treatments

Every decision is guided by professional standards, ethical principles, and respect for the original materials.

Why Are These Terms So Often Confused?

The terms conservation and restoration have been widely misused over time—sometimes even within the field itself. To address this confusion, the ICOM-CC (International Council of Museums – Conservation Committee) formally clarified conservation terminology in 2008.

According to these internationally accepted definitions, conservation is an umbrella term that includes preventive conservation, remedial conservation, and restoration.

What Is Conservation?

Conservation refers to all measures and actions aimed at safeguarding tangible cultural heritage while ensuring its accessibility for present and future generations.

• Respects the artwork’s physical properties and historical significance
• Prioritizes stability and longevity
• Includes preventive, remedial, and restorative actions

Preventive Conservation: Avoiding Damage Before It Happens

Preventive conservation includes all actions taken to avoid or minimize future deterioration, without directly altering the artwork. These measures:

• Do not interfere with original materials
• Do not change the artwork’s appearance
• Are often applied to groups or collections rather than individual objects

Common examples include: Proper storage and handling, archival packing and transportation, environmental control (light, humidity, pollution), integrated pest management, and emergency preparedness and disaster planning

Preventive conservation is often the most cost-effective and least invasive way to protect artworks.

Remedial Conservation: Stabilizing Active Deterioration

Remedial conservation involves direct intervention to stop ongoing damage or structural instability. These actions are undertaken when an artwork is fragile or actively deteriorating or there is a risk of significant loss if no action is taken

Remedial conservation may sometimes alter appearance, but the primary goal is stability, not aesthetics. Examples include: Consolidation of flaking media, neutralization of acidic materials, structural reinforcement, removal of harmful additions (such as pressure-sensitive tapes)

What Is Restoration?

Restoration consists of actions applied to a stable artwork to improve its legibility, interpretation, or visual coherence. Restoration is appropriate when an artwork has lost part of its meaning or function due to past damage or alteration and intervention can be carried out while respecting original materials

Restoration actions often affect appearance and may include:

• Retouching or inpainting
• Filling losses
• Reassembling detached elements
• Aesthetic reintegration

Importantly, restoration is guided by ethical restraint—it should never falsify history or overpower the original work.

Conservation vs Restoration: Key Differences at a Glance

Is Restoration “Bad” for Art?

Restoration is not inherently bad. Problems arise only when It is done without proper training, ignores material compatibility, and prioritizes appearance over preservation.

When performed by a qualified conservator-restorer, restoration is ethical, informed, and reversible whenever possible.

Which Does Your Artwork Need?

Every artwork is unique. Some require only preventive measures, while others need stabilization, aesthetic reintegration, or a combination of approaches.

A professional assessment is always the first step. If you are unsure whether your artwork needs conservation or restoration, feel free to contact us to discuss your piece or schedule an in-person consultation.

---

Notes

“Conservator” is the preferred term in English-speaking countries, while “restorer” is commonly used in Romance and Germanic languages.

Definitions adapted from: ICOM-CC, 15th Triennial Conference, New Delhi, 2008.

---

Is conservation the same as restoration?

No. Conservation focuses on preserving and stabilizing original materials, while restoration aims to improve visual clarity or function. Restoration is one part of conservation, not a synonym.

Do museums restore artworks?

Yes—but selectively. Museums prioritize conservation and long-term stability. Restoration is used only when it supports interpretation and respects original materials.

Can restoration reduce an artwork’s value?

Improper restoration can reduce an artwork’s value. However, when an artwork is damaged or has lost part of its original function, appearance, and value, professional, ethical restoration by a trained conservator can help recover the lost value. Done correctly, restoration generally preserves—or even enhances—an artwork’s historical and market value, while respecting the original materials and significance.

How do I know which my artwork needs?

A professional assessment is essential. Many artworks benefit from preventive or remedial conservation without full restoration.

Choosing between conservation and restoration should never be guesswork.
If you would like to discuss your artwork or schedule an in-person assessment, feel free to get in touch.