Denmark’s Top Museums Are Facing a Mold ‘Epidemic’

Scientists are sounding the alarm as a special mold has already announced its arrival in Europe.

Denmark’s Top Museums Are Facing a Mold ‘Epidemic’

A newly encountered species of mold capable of deteriorating artifacts has been detected in 12 of the Denmark's most acclaimed museums.

An unusual white mold is spreading through at least 12 museum collections in Denmark, but conservators fear there are more. The resistant fungus, Aspergillus restrictus, can also be dangerous to health. Research and measures to remove it are still underway.

Moulds are among the greatest threats facing museums around the world, and can cause irreversible damage to the historical and cultural heritage. Fungal invasions slowly, but surely degrade art works, artifacts and even documents. They are all the more difficult to identify and control as spores that cause their spread are microscopic particles invisible to the naked eye. This "epidemic of the paintings of the golden age" is difficult to contain…

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Mold ‘Epidemic’ Spreading in Denmark’s Most Notable Museums

A “epidemic”, as it has been called by conservators, is not only threatening some of the country’s most notable paintings and cultural objects but also poses a health hazard to visitors. “It’s quite a large problem because these fungi they deteriorate museum artefacts, materials, they decimate enzymes and assets, deteriorating museum objects, so it will damage them,” Camilla Jul Bastholm, head of conservation and collection storage at the Nati…