01172nas a2200133   4500000000100000008004100001653002300042653003800065653002400103653003600127100002700163245004000190520080800230       2005                            d10aEthics (THE\_2143)10aHeritage institutions (ICH\_1360)10aMuseums (THE\_5282)10aUnintended outcomes (ICH\_1362)1 aSalvador Muñoz Viñas00aContemporary theory of conservation3 aClassical theories of conservation are well known in the heritage community, but in the last two decades thinking has shifted, and classical theory has faced increasing criticism. Contemporary Theory of Conservation brings together current ideas in conservation theory, presenting a structured, coherent analysis of the subject for the first time. Muñoz Viñas "contemporary theory" focuses on "conservation as a means, and not an end in itself. It is a way of maintaining and reinforcing the meanings in an object; it is even a means through which the appreciation for what an object symbolizes is expressed.” In this sense, the author foregrounds sociocultural and experiential meanings and values as core principles in the heritage conservation field over the innate value of object or its fabric.