Art Gallery of Ontario

Conservation: Protecting The Art

Conservation is the care and protection of cultural objects. As the caretakers of collections, conservators examine, research, clean and repair artworks, while also taking action to prevent future deterioration. Here at the AGO, the Conservation Team includes conservators, mat makers, framers and mount makers. These specialists work together to ensure each work will look its best not only for today, but also for generations to come.

What Is Conservation?

Get a behind-the-scenes look at our conservators in action. Learn what goes into keeping artworks looking their best and conserving them for generations to come.

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What’s New in Conservation

Read about the restoration of Floor Burger and other great stories in the Conservation Notes section of our Art Matters blog.

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Watch and listen to AGO conservators talk about some new and old favourites in the collection new and old favourites in our collection

Behind the scenes with our conservators

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Restoration of the William Henry Boulton Portrait

The Art Gallery of Ontario recently carried out a major restoration project on George Berthon’s Portrait of William Henry Boulton (1846). This exhibition reveals the conservation process required to restore the painting and, in so doing, explores an aspect of museum work that is rarely made public.

Cleaning George Reid's "Landscape With Stream"

George Reid painted "Landscape With Stream" as a wall mural in 1911 for his studio in Toronto’s Wychwood Park. When this painting came to the AGO, it was not only dirty but also very fragile. Read on to learn how it was repaired and conserved for future enjoyment.