Conservators are responsible for the care and restoration of historic artifacts.
As doctors do when diagnosing medical problems, conservators use scientific methods to understand how materials deteriorate. Like surgeons, they apply a great deal of thought and care to treat damaged objects. They often consult with specialized experts on tricky questions. The primary goal of conservation is to preserve original materials. Determining the original materials that make up objects and buildings requires in-depth historical research into how things were made and used.