Electrochemical treatment set-ups need constant attention in the “wet lab” and outdoor tanks, and environmental conditions in dry object storage also require our steadfast attention.

An update on the conservation treatment for a bone-handled knife found in the concretion of the turret.

In order to conserve these complex pieces of machinery, a large part of our job is to disassemble them. This allows for appropriate treatment of the different materials.

Although my blogs to date give a very Dahlgren-centric view of what I do, there is far more to USS Monitor than just its guns.

Last month, we were able to complete one of the last major steps in the conservation of USS Monitor’s two XI-Inch Dahlgren shell guns: boring concretion out of the barrels.

It has been too long since we’ve given an update on the conservation of Monitor’s port gun carriage. So long in fact, that the conservation of its 250-ish components are now complete!!!

Today’s question seems like a simple one – how long is a Dahlgren Shell Gun?

Marine archaeological guns always have one big problem in particular – how do you clean the inside?

These are no ordinary cabinets though…they are “Delta” cabinets that are museum specific storage equipment able to maintain a hermetic seal and therefore, a microclimate!!

My name is Kim, and I’m an intern at The Mariners’ Museum and Park in the Batten Conservation Complex this summer.