The paintings conservation laboratory was established in 1981; one conservator was on staff at that time. Currently, two conservators care for paintings in all media at both Carnegie Museum of Art and the Andy Warhol Museum. The addition of a second conservator position in 1990 was essential to prepare nearly 1,000 paintings for the opening of The Andy Warhol Museum.

The paintings laboratory is equipped with a vacuum hot table, a spray booth/exhaust system, a lead-lined x-ray unit, a large wall-mounted x-ray light box for assembly and study of x-radiographs, a stereo-binocular microscope, ultraviolet light stands, an ultraviolet fluorescence/polarized light microscope, roll storage, easels, photographic equipment, storage areas, and built-in cabinetry.

Additionally, the paintings conservators have participated in research projects in conjunction with the Center on the Materials of the Artist and Conservator at Carnegie Mellon University.

Past and current projects include:

Paintings treated for the opening of The Andy Warhol Museum Treatment of The Crowning of Labor murals by John White Alexander Treatment of J. M. Whistler’s Arrangement in Black: Portrait of Senor Pablo de Sarasate, collaboration with the J. Paul Getty Museum.