Standards

The Rev. W.A.R. Goodwin, Robert Trimble, John D.
Rockefeller Jr., and Arthur A. Shurcliff discuss plans
for the Restoration.

The field of architectural conservation emerged out of the Historic Preservation movement as a new and distinct discipline in the late 1960s. Development of the profession was gradual, due in part to a shift in emphasis from the preservation of buildings primarily because of their associative and commemorative value to their cultural value as large artifacts. With increased recognition of the significance of retaining original materials, preservationists directed their energies toward a more scientific approach, including characterization of building materials and analysis of the decay or deterioration mechanisms that result in their destruction. This shift was facilitated in Virginia by the work of the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities (APVA), the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, and the National Park Service and resulted in the placement of greater emphasis on the preservation of original fabric through preventive maintenance and conservation treatments.

All architectural conservation activities including inspections, monitoring, condition assessments, and treatments are documented to ensure that information about the cultural property is preserved. Architectural conservators are expected to conform to the Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice of the American Institute for the Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC). The development of an architectural conservation ethic at Colonial Williamsburg dates to 1928 with the formulation of the Decalogue by the Restoration architects.