1 INTRODUCTION

At the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) a strong program of preventive conservation was the foundation of a successful collections move project in which objects were moved safely and efficiently. This success was a direct result of collaboration and communication between several departments: Conservation, Collections Management, Registration, and Photography. It need not be, nor should it be, the responsibility of the Conservation Department alone to ensure the preservation of the collection through preventive conservation.

The roles and responsibilities of each department are outlined, with the role of the Conservation Department in guiding the preventive conservation program discussed at greater length. The preventive conservation program was so integral to the project that the responsibilities for implementation became less distinctly divided by department and were generally accepted and undertaken by all staff involved in the Move Project.