The Institute Of Conservation: Icon

Be connected, be inspired

Icon welcomes everyone with a passion for cultural heritage

Join us

Find a conservator you can trust

The most reliable way to identify and contact professional conservators to care for your objects and collections

Search the Directory

Current conservation and heritage science jobs

Check out the latest vacancies and opportunities

Visit our jobs page

Exploring the Path to a Royal Charter

Find out what a Royal Chartership could mean for Icon, our members, and the future of the conservation profession

Learn More

The Icon Conference 2026

Shining a spotlight on the transformative power of the Conservation profession

Find Out More

Latest news

08 Dec 2025

Call for Evidence: Revisiting Empowering Collections 2025

The Museums Association is gathering sector-wide feedback to understand how collections practice has evolved since its 2019 Empowering Collections report.

News 26 Nov 2025

Icon Launches Call for Posters for Icon26

Icon is delighted to launch a call for Posters for Icon26 which will be taking place on 24th and 25th June 2026 at the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh.

News 17 Nov 2025

Icon26 Conference Programme Unveiled

Discover a dynamic two-day programme of inspiration, innovation and collaboration at Icon26 in Edinburgh, 24–25 June 2026

News 14 Nov 2025

Call for Hosts: Fully Funded Internship in Industrial Heritage Conservation

Seeking hosts for a fully funded internship supporting practical training in industrial heritage conservation work.

News 07 Nov 2025

Celebrating Impact in Conservation: The Icon Winter Reception

Reflecting on an evening of shared inspiration and achievement, the Icon Winter Reception celebrated the people and projects making a lasting impact in conservation

News 05 Nov 2025

Pilgrim Trust supports ‘Conservation Skills at Risk’ with £45,000 grant

Icon is delighted to announce that the Pilgrim Trust has awarded £45,000 in funding to support our project “Conservation Skills at Risk – Protecting Heritage for Future Generations.”

News 03 Nov 2025

Step Into Conservation with Icon’s Student Month!

Join us in celebrating student achievement and supporting early career development

News 31 Oct 2025

Icon Publishes its 2024-25 Impact Report

Read about our reflections on the past year and the invaluable work of our members to continue championing the conservation profession

News 31 Oct 2025

Call for Evidence: Lead Exposure in the Conservation Sector

Help us gather data on lead exposure in the conservation sector. Complete the survey by Friday 28 November.

News More news

Featured articles

18 Dec 2025

From the Archive: The Genoa Bed

In this fascinating 2019 article from Icon News, Claire Magill ACR, National Trust Regional Conservator and Project Manager, discusses the treatment of a bed during a three year project to restore the West Wing Rooms at Mount Stewart

Article 11 Dec 2025

Cracked Light

Helen Lindsay ACR reflects on how a cherished family heirloom illuminates themes of memory, resilience, and the role of conservation in supporting wellbeing

Article 20 Nov 2025

My Icon Conservation Internship at St Bartholomew’s Hospital

Just in time for student month, Icon Intern Megan Buchanan-Smith shares her experience working on a conservation project at St Bartholomew’s Hospital

Article 14 Nov 2025

McLarens Private Clients & Estates: Innovating through conservation in High Net Worth insurance claims

Step inside the specialist world where conservation skills help protect extraordinary homes, collections and history after disaster.

Article 10 Nov 2025

Icon in Conversation: With Sara Wajid MBE, Co-CEO of Birmingham Museums Trust

As featured in the latest issue of Iconnect Magazine, Icon CEO Emma Jhita sits down with Sara Wajid MBE, Co-CEO of Birmingham Museums Trust, for an insightful conversation.

Article 16 Oct 2025

Royal Charter: Your Voice, Your Vote

As voting on Icon’s petition for Royal Charter opens, we share contrasting views from two of our members

Article 13 Oct 2025

Death of an Artwork

Dr Clare Finn ACR responds to John-Paul Stonard's article, ‘Works of Art Are Living Things – So Should We Let Them Die?’

Article 09 Oct 2025

Textile Conservation at the Palestinian Museum

Katy Smith ACR and Baha Jubeh reflect upon the strengths and challenges of textile conservation at the Palestinian Museum in Birzeit, Palestine

Article 02 Oct 2025

Animal, Mineral or Vegetable?

Gwenllian Thomas ACR reflects on her first eighteen months working with natural history collections at Amgueddfa Cymru

Article More articles

Icon welcomes everyone with a passion for cultural heritage

We help our members create a deeper connection to their interests and support conservators in their careers while giving confidence to the public that cultural heritage is protected to the highest standard.

Join us

Stay up to date

Sign up to recieve updates from Icon and the world of conservation right to your inbox.

First name * Last name * Email address * By providing your email address you agree to receive marketing emails from Icon. For full details of our Privacy Policy please visit Icons Privacy Policy Page Subscribe

Share this page