▁law ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 0 ▁as ▁" a ▁permanent ▁organization ▁to ▁co - ordinate ▁and ▁improve ▁the ▁knowledge , ▁methods , ▁and ▁working ▁standards ▁needed ▁to ▁protect ▁and ▁preserve ▁pre cious ▁materials ▁of ▁all ▁kinds ." ▁The ▁rapid ▁growth ▁of ▁conservation ▁professional ▁organizations , ▁publications , ▁journ als , ▁news let ters , ▁both ▁intern ation ally ▁and ▁in ▁local ities , ▁has ▁spe ar head ed ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁the ▁conservation ▁profession , ▁both ▁pract ically ▁and ▁theoret ically . ▁Art ▁histor ians ▁and ▁the or ists ▁such ▁as ▁Ces are ▁Brand i ▁have ▁also ▁played ▁a ▁significant ▁role ▁in ▁developing ▁conservation ▁science ▁theory . ▁In ▁recent ▁years ▁eth ical ▁concerns ▁have ▁been ▁at ▁the ▁fore front ▁of ▁develop ments ▁in ▁conservation . ▁Most ▁significantly ▁has ▁been ▁the ▁idea ▁of ▁prevent ive ▁conservation . ▁This ▁concept ▁is ▁based ▁in ▁part ▁on ▁the ▁pione ering ▁work ▁by ▁Gar ry ▁Thom son ▁C BE , ▁and ▁his ▁book ▁the ▁Museum ▁Environment , ▁first ▁published ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 . ▁Thom son ▁was ▁associated ▁with ▁the ▁National ▁Gallery ▁in ▁London ; ▁it ▁was ▁here ▁that ▁he ▁established ▁a ▁set ▁of ▁gu idel ines ▁or ▁environmental ▁controls ▁for ▁the ▁best ▁conditions ▁in ▁which ▁objects ▁could ▁be ▁stored ▁and ▁displayed ▁within ▁the ▁museum ▁environment . ▁Although ▁his ▁exact ▁gu idel ines ▁are ▁no ▁longer ▁rig id ly ▁followed , ▁they ▁did ▁insp ire ▁this ▁field ▁of ▁conservation . ▁ ▁Eth ics ▁The ▁conserv ator ' s ▁work ▁is ▁gu ided ▁by ▁eth ical