Preventative treatment (or preventive treatment) is a series of formulaic activities that are performed on objects that require more interventionist methods for preservation. Treatment is considered when an object has: a) an inherent vice that requires intervention; b) shows signs of advanced deterioration; or c) requires treatment for display, loan, or publication purposes. Collections managers can structure their practices based on the recommendations of preservation professionals, including policies regarding storage, handling, and environmental conditions. These recommendations are documented, added to the collections database, and become part of an object’s history in the future. While important, preservation treatments to objects are only sometimes deemed necessary, and there is debate on the degree of intervention that is considered best. While modern ethics advise reversible treatment practices, many treatments are not completely reversible, but can be minimized in the future, if necessary. References External links Collection Maintenance NDCC Monitoring Temperature and Relative Humidity National Park Service Museum Handbook National Park Service Conserve O Grams National Park Service Museum Preservation Maintenance Plan Connecting to Collections Housekeeping Webinar Minnesota Historical Society Housekeeping Handbook NEDCC Caring for Collections Philadelphia Museum of Art Preventative Conservation Activities Regional Alliance for Preservation The Getty Conservation Institute Collections Trust Collections Care and Conservation The Metropolitan Museum of Art The Care and Handling of Art Objects ICCROM A Guide to Risk Management of Cultural Heritage Canadian Conservation Institute MFA Boston Conservation and Collections Management Preservation (library and archival science) Conservation and restoration of cultural heritage Collections care Museology