Ask a Conservator

Ask a Conservator gives visitors the opportunity to meet Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, conservators, ask questions about caring for artwork, and learn more about careers in art conservation. The November 5 session focuses especially on training pathways and the panelists’ experiences pursuing careers in the field; the November 6 sessions offer conversations with conservators from several specialties.

The program is presented in honor of Ask a Conservator Day, held each November to commemorate the 1966 flooding in Florence, Italy. That disaster prompted international cooperation among conservators, advances in conservation methods, the creation of conservation laboratories, and increased efforts to promote conservation education.

When: Thursday, November 5, 2026, and Friday, November 6, 2026

Showtimes: November 5 from 5:30–6:30 p.m.; November 6 from 11:00–11:30 a.m., 1:30–2:00 p.m., and 3:00–3:30 p.m.

Schedule: The November 5 session is titled “Pathways into Conservation.” The November 6 sessions are general Ask a Conservator conversations.

Lineup: November 5 features Sydney Collins, graduate intern in Objects Conservation; Evelyn Mayberger, associate conservator in Objects Conservation; Katrina Newbury, Saundra B. Lane Conservator in Paper Conservation; and Katherine Shark, graduate intern in Textile Conservation. The 11:00 a.m. session on November 6 features Linsly Boyer, associate conservator in Objects Conservation, and Alice Limb, Cunningham Assistant Conservator of Paintings. The 1:30 p.m. session features Katrina Newbury and Marcie Wiggins, Schorr Family Associate Research Scientist. The 3:00 p.m. session features Alexa Machnik, Higashiyama Kaii Assistant Conservator of Japanese Paintings, and Lydia Vagts, conservator in Paintings Conservation.

Tickets: Free with general admission. No advance registration or event tickets are required.

Venue: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Locations: The November 5 program meets in Conservation Center 360. Visitors should take the elevator outside the Bookstore and Shop in the Linde Family Wing for Contemporary Art to the third floor. All November 6 sessions meet in the Sharf Visitor Center.

Accessibility: The event is wheelchair accessible, and assistive listening devices are available upon request. An assistive listening system is also provided.

Note: Ask a Conservator Day encourages visitors to engage directly with conservation professionals and learn about the field, including how conservators care for artworks and how prospective conservators can enter the profession.

All dates: Nov 5 at 5:30 PM · Nov 6 at 11:00 AM & 1:30 PM & 3:00 PM