Samantha Alderson

Assistant Director, Science Conservation

Assistant Director, Science Conservation

Headshot of Samantha Alderson standing in front of a rhododendron.
Email:
[email protected]
Phone:
212-769-5446

Samantha received an advanced certificate in the Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works and an MA in the History of Art and Archaeology from the Conservation Center of the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University, in 1994, and a BA in Liberal Arts from St. John’s College. She has held several positions at AMNH since starting as an intern in the Anthropology Conservation lab in 1993. In 2021, she became the Assistant Director of Conservation.   

Research Interests

Samantha specializes in caring for objects in the Anthropology Division's collection, where she aims to build and support connections with descendant communities by expanding access to collections, facilitating cultural stewardship, and fostering collaborative partnerships. She has researched, presented, and published on a wide range of topics, including collaborative conservation efforts; conserving material culture from the Pacific Northwest and Siberia; archaeological ceramics from Mesoamerica; conservation adhesives; and museum tools for climate monitoring.  

Teaching Experience

Samantha regularly teaches advanced courses in objects conservation at The Conservation Center, Institute of Fine Arts, New York University. She has also lectured on various conservation related topics at other graduate programs at New York University, Columbia University, and the Bard Graduate Center.