Supporting the Conservation Lab

Since its founding in 1934, the Timken Foundation of Canton has been a major supporter of educational and cultural organizations in Northeast Ohio and beyond. Recognizing the Cleveland Museum of Art as an asset to the entire region, the foundation recently provided important support for the museum’s conservation analytical laboratory to ensure its capabilities match its standing as a superb institution. 

The Timken Foundation’s generous gift enables the CMA to obtain critical new analytical lab equipment that greatly expands the museum’s ability to conduct groundbreaking research on its collection, helping conservators understand how artworks are made, how they age, and how to better preserve them. Art conservation sits at the nexus of science, technology, and art, utilizing scientific advancements to care for and preserve works of art for the enjoyment of audiences today and far into the future. By expanding the research and treatment capacity within the museum’s conservation analytical laboratory, the CMA can conduct more essential work on-site, reducing the need to transport fragile works of art off-site for study.

The equipment purchased through the Timken Foundation’s gift includes specialized tools that allow conservation staff to conduct nondestructive materials analyses, capture 3D images, and assess the light sensitivity of individual artworks. The acquisition of this cutting-edge equipment coincides with recent expansions to the CMA’s conservation team, which, taken collectively, elevates and enhances its already globally renowned conservation department. Sarah Scaturro, Eric and Jane Nord Chief Conservator, hopes that “with the arrival of our new conservation scientist and the acquisition of cutting-edge equipment, scientific activity and collaborations with other art institutions could increase significantly, further cementing the CMA’s conservation department as a leader in the field.” Through collaboration with museums around the world, this incredible gift from the Timken Foundation facilitates special loans for gallery rotations or special exhibitions that may not have been possible without the CMA’s enhanced conservation capabilities. 

Robert Timken, Timken Foundation president, hopes that this support reinforces the CMA’s global standing in art conservation, leveraging its capabilities to serve the Ohio cultural sector while maintaining its position as a model of scientific excellence. To him, art and science are naturally connected, as artists rely on scientific methods to translate their ideas into expression and preservation, and innovators must demonstrate creativity to develop breakthrough solutions. 

The Timken Foundation looks forward to seeing the conservation lab strengthen the link between art and science and hopes that this gift inspires future support for the CMA’s conservation work.