posted 02-06-2020 12:14 PM               

Conservators at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center are busy preparing objects for display in our updated galleries as part of the transformation of the Museum in DC. This includes inspecting the condition of each artifact, so that if any deterioration is discovered it can be stabilized to ensure its long-term preservation.

One artifact being prepared is astronaut Michael Collins' shaving set, which travelled with him on the Apollo 11 mission in 1969. The set consists of a tube of "Old Spice Brushless" shaving cream and a "Gillette Techmatic" razor. During examination of the razor, areas of degradation were discovered, combined with evidence of Collins' use while working and living in the Command Module Columbia during the iconic mission. This presented conservators with a complex ethical dilemma for deciding the best treatment approach: how to arrest degradation while maintaining the historical elements of the artifact.