Care for medals and other memorabilia

Tips for the care of historic items.

The Shrine does not have an onsite conservator to offer specific advice about how to care for your family collection items. The guidelines below are for preventative conservation.

• Ensure items are in a relatively stable humidity and temperature environment.
• Reduce light exposure, particularly for paper, fabric and paintings.
• Keep stored items off the floor in case of flooding.
• Check items regularly to guard against pest infestation.
• Store items in acid free pockets and card.
• Do not use regular sticky tape to repair or adhere an item (it will dis-colour over time).
• Handle items delicately, preferably wearing cotton gloves.
• It is easier to preserve an item before damage than to fix it afterwards.

For further information on the care, preservation and conservation of items, refer to the websites of national institutions such as:

National Archives of Australia

Australian War Memorial

Australian Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Material, the professional organisation for conservators in Australia.