Studies
Conserving art and cultural heritage through interdisciplinary expertise and a practice-oriented approach within different areas of specialisation: this is what the degree programme in Conservation and Restoration at the HKB is all about.
At the interface between the humanities and natural sciences, conservation and restoration focus on understanding, documenting, preserving and restoring the tangible and intangible aspects of art and cultural artefacts. Decision-making in sustainable preservation and care are based on a thorough understanding of the materials and their ageing processes, the social context and the artistically relevant aspects of a work, such as intention, concept and artistic practice.
The Restoration course consists of two consecutive and complementary degree programmes: a Bachelor's (three years) and a Master's (two years). After a comprehensive introduction to conservation, you focus on one specialisation from the second year onwards. In practice-based projects, you handle artworks from Swiss and international institutions and acquire specific knowledge in the fields of art technology, art history and manual restoration techniques. You graduate with a master's thesis.
