Preservation of cultural heritage is often linked to art collections and museums and involves collection care and management through tracking, research, documentation, exhibition, storage, preventive preservation and restoration. The scope has expanded from art preservation, which involves the protection and care of works of art and architecture, to the preservation of cultural heritage, including the protection and care of a wide range of other cultural and historical works. Preservation of cultural heritage can be described as a type of ethical management.
Preservation of cultural heritage applies to simple ethical guidelines:

• Minimal intervention
• Suitable materials and reversible methods
• Full documentation of all work performed

Often there are compromises between preserving the look, maintaining the original design and material properties. In order for conservators to decide on an appropriate conservation strategy and apply their professional expertise accordingly, they must take into account the views of the stakeholder, the values, the artist's intention, the importance of the work, and the physical needs of the material.