Photograph Conservation

The Met employed its first Photograph Conservator to care for, document, and research the Museum's photographic collections in 1990, initially as a part of the Paper Conservation Department and then within the curatorial Department of Photographs. In recognition of the importance of this distinct area of expertise, and the photograph conservators' international reputation for excellence, Photograph Conservation was established as an independent Museum Department in 2015. Between 1990 and the present, photograph conservation grew from one part-time conservator to encompass three specialists in photograph conservation, a book conservator focused on albums and photographically-illustrated books, a time-based media conservator, an administrator, and an endowed Research Scholar, operating today in a dedicated state-of-the-art lab.

Read the full history of Photograph Conservation

The state-of-the-art conservation lab has the facilities and equipment essential to study, document, and conserve the Museum's photographic and time-based media (TBM) collections, from daguerreotypes to photograph albums to born-digital video art. A separate lab dedicated to TBM art conservation is close by. Through visual examination and non-destructive materials analysis, often undertaken in collaboration with the Department of Scientific Research, Photograph Conservation brings to light information about artists' techniques and the history of the medium, and helps to inform preventive conservation policies for exhibition, loan, and storage.

Learn about our facilities and equipment

Photograph Conservation regularly welcomes fellows and interns into the Department, providing the opportunity to work side by side with conservators in a lab actively engaged in conservation, preventive conservation and research. Given the relative youth of both photograph and time-based media conservation, we are committed to nurturing and growing these critical areas of conservation specialization.

Research Scholarship in Photograph Conservation
Specific to the Department of Photograph Conservation, the Research Scholar fellowship is a two- to three-year fellowship to conduct a research project based on the Museum's resources and its collections of photographs, in addition to participating in the preservation- and exhibition-related activities of the Photograph Conservation lab. The Research Scholar position is considered a Senior Conservation Fellowship.
Learn more and how to apply

Junior Conservation Fellows
On occasion Photograph Conservation has accepted Junior Conservation Fellows for a one year fellowship. Unlike the Senior Fellows, these applicants are not required to submit a specific research proposal. These fellowships are open to applicants who have recently completed graduate-level training.
Learn more and how to apply

Internships and Summer Internships for Undergraduate and Graduate Students
Photograph Conservation also welcomes interns through the Education Department’s program for paid summer internships.
Learn more and how to apply