The Society of Estonian Conservators are happy to announce the 14th Baltic States Triennial Conservators’ Meeting in Tallinn, Estonia during 22.-25. April 2026.
The theme for the 2026 triennial meeting is —
Connecting Histories: Conservation in a Shifting Landscape.
The decisions in the modern theory of conservation are guided by three main sources of values bestowed upon objects. Those stemming from the nature of the objects themselves, the cultural context and the (personal) values attributed by stakeholders (and communities). A holistic approach attempts to account for all possible values of the objects, but in essence these are subjective and up to interpretation by the conservator. How have our perspectives shifted in time? Can values attributed by the general public change the course of treatment decisions?
We encourage conservators to not only share their successes but also the mistakes and failures. By openly discussing challenges and lessons learned, we can foster a more honest, collaborative, and supportive professional environment.
Key-note Speakers
Zenzie Tinker
Title: Threading the Needle: Managing Large Scale Textile Conservation Projects
Abstract:
Zenzie Tinker Conservation (ZTC), established in 2003, is one of the largest professional private textile conservation practices in the United Kingdom, giving them the capacity to take on objects and projects commensurate with their size, with many running into several thousands of hours of work.
She explores several of ZTC’s major 1,000+ hour projects over the past 24 years, including the re-conservation of Westminster Abbey’s Royal Funeral Effigies for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries and the conservation of ten historic motorcycle outfits, alongside the development of dynamic display mannequins for the Isle of Man TT Motorcycle Race gallery.
Balancing the management of a large team, complex conservation challenges, and future planning, studio lead Zenzie Tinker will share insights from her 40 years of experience. She also reflects on the logistical and professional challenges of relocating the studio after more than two decades in the same space.
Biography:
Zenzie Tinker ACR is a textile conservator with over four decades of experience. She holds a degree in History of Design with a focus on textiles and dress from Manchester Polytechnic and completed a five-year apprenticeship in textile and tapestry conservation in London under conservator Ksynia Marko.
After working for several years in museum conservation, including at the Victoria & Albert Museum, she established her own studio in 2003. Zenzie Tinker Conservation has since become the largest privately run textile conservation practice in the UK, offering conservation and display services, as well as training opportunities for emerging professionals.
Marija Dremaite
Title: Addressing Heritage Loss
Abstract:
For a long time, the Western concept of heritage has been centered on the material authenticity of the built environment. This raises the question: what happens when such material authenticity is lost or rendered inaccessible? What, then, is carried forward as heritage, and what constitutes a "carried heritage"? Her historical study examines migration and the preservation of collective memory. Drawing on the theoretical framework of symbolic geographies (Péteri, 2010) and grounded in several case studies, this analysis explores the role of architectural heritage in sustaining cultural identity and resilience in contexts of displacement, geopolitical crisis, and contemporary restoration efforts. This contribution addresses current debates on heritage by shifting attention from material authenticity to the dynamic processes of cultural transmission, memory work, and symbolic attachment.
Biography:
Dr. Marija Drėmaitė is a Professor in Architectural History and Cultural Heritage at the Faculty of History, Vilnius University. She specializes in 20th-century architectural heritage through historical, sociological, and anthropological perspectives. She is the author of Baltic Modernism: Architecture and Housing in Soviet Lithuania (Berlin, 2017) and the editor of Architecture of Optimism: The Kaunas Phenomenon, 1918–1940 (Vilnius, 2018). She led the research team behind the successful nomination of "Modernist Kaunas," which was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2023. Since 2023, she is the Advisory Board member of the advanced study centre “inherit” at Humboldt University, Berlin, and is the Principal Investigator at the research centre (Post)Authoritarian Landscapes at Vilnius University.
Chiara Romano Johansson
Title: Collections Care, Community, and Climate Control at the Nordic Museum, Stockholm
Abstract:
Managing climate control in a historic building such as the Nordic Museum in Stockholm involves not only technical considerations but also social and collaborative dimensions. Collection management must safeguard objects while mediating between conservation priorities, maintenance routines, and institutional goals. In a large-scale cultural history museum these demands are intensified, making the balance between daily routines and long-term strategies a central concern.
In 2024, the Nordic Museum opened a new permanent exhibition with 4,000 objects on display. Due to the limitations of the listed building, a simple climate system was chosen to meet the desired parameters within a constrained budget. However, limited attention was given to long-term maintenance and staff responsibilities. Conservators became key players in maintaining the system in the galleries, prompting reflections on the Bizot Green Protocol and its implications for sustainability, staff wellbeing, and institutional learning.
This analysis examines the human dimension of museum practice by analyzing how mistakes and compromises can serve as catalysts for institutional learning. When shared openly, they foster resilience, strengthen dialogue, and contribute to communities of practice. By integrating conservation science with collaborative management, realistic maintenance planning, and sustainability frameworks, museums can safeguard collections while contributing to broader environmental goals.
Biography:
Chiara Romano Johansson is Head of Collections at Nordic Museum, Stockholm. She holds a Master’s degree in Textile Conservation from the University of Palermo, Italy (2011). From 2012 to 2014, she was an Andrew W. Mellon Fellow in Textile Conservation at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, where she focused on textile conservation practices and conducted research on a collection of polychrome laces, studying their materials, dyes, and techniques. During her fellowship, she also applied CHARISMA imaging protocols to the study of textiles. Her current research explores conservation theory and methodology, with particular emphasis on their implications for collection management.
Address: Salme tn 12, 10413 Tallinn
Salme Cultural Centre is right in the middle of Tallinn’s cultural hub with Telliskivi Recreation Centre and Balti Jaam Market within walking distance. Balti Jaam Transport hub is also at a stone’s throw away – with trains, buses and trolleybuses leaving and entering the station regularly. The neighbourhood has a variety of restaurants, cafes and kiosks catering to every taste and dietary need.
Salme Kultuurikeskus – Salme Cultural Centre
The Salme Cultural Centre has been the heart of Estonian youth recreational activities since Soviet times. It has remained a place of fond memories for generations of Estonians. Today, the Salme Cultural Centre continues to act as the main cultural venue in the municipality of North-Tallinn and is one of the largest establishments in Tallinn. Year after year, the Centre has become known as one of Tallinn’s most important concert, entertainment and recreational locations.
The predecessor to the Salme Cultural Centre was the J. Tomb Club, founded in 1940 in the House of the Brotherhood of the Blackheads. The new building was decided to be built on Salme Street according to the project of the Riga Railwaymen Culture Centre (1956). It was completed in 1965, and already in the same year, 34 adult and 15 children’s groups were operating in the Palace of Culture. During the 1970s, several new clubs and studios were founded for various activities. From 1991 it was renamed the Salme Cultural Centre. Over the last few years, several new collectives have moved into the culture centre because of reorganisation and even liquidation of other recreational clubs in Tallinn. Currently, 17 recreational collectives operate at the Salme Cultural Centre.
