In the last quarter of the past century and the early 21st century, various entities focused on preventive conservation in the heritage sector. There are also several examples of national legislation with guidelines about preventive conservation: the law for Museums n.º 47/2004, the law n.º 3/2006 related with the accreditation of Museums and the law n.º 16/93, that sets the national policies for Portuguese archives. The article reflects on the practical application of preventive conservation plans developed in the last eight years, presenting the results of a survey and reflections on integrating these plans into management models, their applicability, and compliance with legislation.
Institutions emphasise the importance of proposed documents and are in the process of implementing preventive conservation plans. However, only some institutions prioritise interventions as defined in these plans. Results show that 10% of proposed actions were implemented, 40% were not, and 50% were partially implemented, and that measures mainly focused on environmental and biological monitoring, object storage, and packaging.
Moreover, institutions lack periodic plan reviews and updates, leading to potential risks, and budget allocations for conservation seem indirectly related to overall institutional needs. As such, the article argues that the internal review of the conservation plan’s application and new objectives is essential and that the budget should specifically allocate funds for preventive conservation alongside restoration.
Additionally, the study shows that the implementation status of proposed measures varies among institutions, highlighting the need for continuous assessment and improvement in preventive conservation practices.
