The Conservation Center
Museums, Historical Sites, and ZoosIllinois, United States11-50 Employees
The Conservation Center, based in Chicago, Illinois, is a private art conservation laboratory that stands as the largest and most comprehensive of its kind in the country. With more than four decades of experience, it offers treatments for paintings, works on paper, photographs, textiles, murals, antique and fine furniture, rare books, frames and gilding, objects, and sculpture, prioritizing non-invasive and reversible methods that aim to preserve the artist’s original intent using archival materials. Its work supports private collectors, museums, galleries, insurance companies, and corporations, adhering to professional ethics codes set by the American Institute for Conservation. Founded in 1983, the center evolved from a small team to a sizeable, multi-specialist staff and relocated in 2012 to a renovated warehouse in the Kinzie Industrial Corridor of West Town, Chicago, with design help from Studio Gang Architects. The move reflects a commitment to a high-standard laboratory environment and careful handling practices, while maintaining a broad scope of conservation across objects and cultural artifacts. Recent activity includes a 2023 partnership with Crestanks Limited.