The Trophy Head Project, National Museums Northern Ireland

In 2010 a collection of 77 trophy heads were moved from an off-site store to a new facility. Having survived unsatisfactory storage for many years they then had to undergo asbestos decontamination and be frozen as a precaution against (or to remove) active pests. Following this treatment they have now been fully supported on racks (Fig.1) and are undergoing a programme of conservation cleaning and repair. Some are even now back on display at the Ulster Museum. This upgrade in storage has been so successful that there are plans for the other trophy heads in the collection to be given the same treatment.