SCIENCE & CONSERVATION SERVICES FOR INDIAN HERITAGE In order to discover properly the present, the museums and like-institutions recover the past. The past is kept alive in the museums through the care of antiquities, art objects, artefacts and specimens of nature preserved by them. The museums have some responsibilities thrust on them by the society. Keeping this in view, the Indian Museum, largest and oldest institution of its kind in Asia has developed infrastructural facilities for in-house preservation of the exhibits.

On the eve of the 2nd millennium AD., the Indian Museum is expanding its conservation facilities towards a vast majority of museums located within and beyond the State of West Bengal. Fabricated on a minibus, the Mobile Conservation Laboratory adorned with modern scientific equipment and trained staff will now move to the districts, with a view to catering to the long-felt needs of the conservation problems of the institutions. In the tropical country like India, artefacts are very much susceptible to deterioration due to various reasons. As a result, antiquities, art treasures require frequent treatment for their maintenance and proper upkeep. Very often antiquities are found undergoing chemical and physical changes leading to their decay and gradual disintegration. The Mobile Conservation Laboratory will be stationed at an institution for a period of five days to help preserving the art objects belonging to the organisation and the accompanying staff will impart orientation- training to the staff concerned. As preservation is better than cure, the facilities offered by the Indian Museum Conservation Laboratory will foster the spirit of preventive conservation. INSTITUTIONS & ORGANISATIONS MAY ASK THE INDIAN MUSEUM, KOLKATA, FOR HELP IN THE FIELD OF CONSERVATION WITH THE HELP OF THE MOBILE CONSEVATION LAB. The following items are to be provided: 1. 250V, 50 cycle AC, 1500W of electrical power supply. 2. Accommodation for accompanying staff. 3. Security arrangement. 4. Suitable publicity. 5. Volunteers. Please write/ e-mail to: Director. Indian Museum, 27 Jawaharlal Nehru Road, Calcutta - 700 016 Phone: +91-33- 2249 9979/9902, Fax: +91-33- 2249 5696 E-mail: imbot@cal2.vsnl.net.in