6. Artifact Restoration

Hannah Fulton

At the many museums we visited we witnessed many artifacts from different time periods. Some objects, such as those displayed at the Herøy museum, illustrate the life of those thriving from fishing industry in Norway. Other items, like the ring brooch at Nordlandsmuseet, are from as far back as the Viking age. When artifacts are recovered in damaged condition, however, archeologists and museum curators must decide how best to represent these items to the public. As Petter suggested, there are several philosophies of preserving/restoring artifacts.

First, there are those that think it is best to keep the artifacts in their original state. This will preserve the items with as little damage or change to them as possible. Sometimes, to give the public a better idea of their purpose, missing parts can be rebuilt and added to the object carefully. However, the original artifact will not be altered. 

Although this method is good at preserving artifacts, I can see how it could underrepresent how the item actually looked when it was in use. For museum visitors, it is often interesting to see artifacts “in their full glory” and experience them as though they were made in the present day. To do this, however, restorers will sometimes try to replace portions of artifacts to make it look as it did in the past. This method is sometimes controversial because it sometimes alters the historical part of artifacts. 

Image from http://nordlandsmuseet.no/bodosjoen_friluftsmuseum/nordlandsjekta-anna-karoline/

Recently, the Nordlandsmuseet is restoring the shipping jekt (ship) Anna Karoline. The ship was built in 1876 and bought by the museum in 1953 after it was decommissioned. During this time, however, the boat was left lying on the shore and sustained significant damage. Museum curators are now trying to restore the boat to its original state by making some alterations and additions to reinforce the ship’s stability. The ship’s deck, built in a different era and preserved with toxic chemicals, was removed and will be replaced by a more historically accurate structure. Eventually, the ship will be the centerpiece of the Norsk jektefartsmuseum, to be built in the next few years.

In the case of the Anna Karoline, I think the partial restoration was appropriate because it will allow visitors to experience the boat as it was in use. This will allow visitors to really feel the grandeur of the boat and it’s impressive proportions. I think that planned museum will be an excellent representation of the history of both Norway and the city of Bodø. I hope that someday I will get to see it myself!