Have you ever wondered how photographic collections in museums are cared for in order to preserve them for generations to come? So much goes into the behind-the-scenes considerations when it comes to museum acquisition, exhibition, and maintenance of photographic works, and for many photographers, museum collection, conservation, and care can feel like an entirely foreign, and at times inaccessible, realm of the art world.

PHOTOVERSE is excited to welcome from the Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Betsy Johnson, assistant curator and photographic collection overseer, and Stephanie Lussier, the paper and photographs conservator for a demystifying conversation on the details of museum practices. Using case studies centered around acquisition and exhibition planning to address the defining characteristics, Betsy and Stephanie cover ideal practices and the complexities of museum care and display, answer audience questions about the stability of mounting and framing materials or processes, and cover the multitude of factors that impact the long-term preservation of photographic works.