The O’Donnell Institute partners with area institutions to advance research and education in Conservation Science.
Together, art historians, scientists, curators, and conservators collaborate on research projects that focus on developing new techniques for conserving artworks and understanding artists’ materials and working methods.
Our Conservation Science program was founded by Professor David McPhail, Distinguished Chair of Conservation Science at The O’Donnell Institute and Professor in the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, at The University of Texas at Dallas and Dr. Norman Tennent, Distinguished Visiting Research Scholar at UT Dallas and Professor Emeritus at the University of Amsterdam.
The aim of this research is to work with museums to develop improvements to conservation practices that will extend the life of objects, making them accessible to future generations, and to deepen our understanding of artists’ materials and techniques.
A 3-year tripartite postdoctoral project project instigated by the University of Texas at Dallas and jointly supported by the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam and the Corning Museum of Glass studies the degradation of glass in museum collections.
The O’Donnell Institute and The University of Texas at Dallas joined with the Dallas Museum of Art and the Amon Carter Museum of American Art to advance research and education in Conservation Science.
Glass degradation project
The framework for this research is a 3-year tripartite postdoctoral project instigated by the University of Texas at Dallas and jointly supported by the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam and the Corning Museum of Glass.
Dallas Museum of Art
Conservation projects in partnership with the Dallas Museum of Art.
Amon Carter Museum of American Art
Conservation projects in partnership with the Amon Carter Museum of American Art.
Conservation Science Colloquium
2018 Colloquium for museum partners and conservators.
