Studio Västsvensk Konservering is honoured to be hosting this event together with University of Gothenburg and Museum of Gothenburg, and are looking forward to a week with a full program and lots of inspiration! We are delighted to present a wide range of interesting papers and posters as well as tours to SVK, the Gothenburg museums and the brand new facilities at the department of conservation at University of Gothenburg. Technical visit is planned from lunch one day, and we will suggest further visits and activities for Friday afternoon. Keep a look at the website for further details.
The social program will include a welcoming reception at SVK on Monday and you will have the possibility of joining our conference dinner on Thursday.
Registration
Registration is open and the fees for the various participants are presented below. All prices are in Euros (EUR). Both in-person and virtual participants will have full access to our virtual platform, where the streaming of the sessions and lectures will take place. Please remember that if you are presenting a paper or a poster you must attend in person.
Become an ICOM member! If you are in the process of applying for an ICOM membership, we will give you the ICOM member price to attend the conference. Please send us a copy of your ICOM membership application form and proof of payment for the ICOM membership fee when you register to woam2025@vgregion.se.
The in-person registration fee includes the conference proceedings (book), meeting program including abstracts of all sessions, five lunches, opening reception, and coffee breaks (fika). The farewell dinner will be charged separately according to the price plan below. Please note that the registration fee does not include hotel accommodations and traveling expenses.
Invoices for ticket purchases will be sent out after registration.
Last date for early bird registration is 1st of July.
Last date for final registration is 15th of August.
Student bursaries
Two bursaries are being made available to students to go towards the conference fee. If you would like to apply for a bursary, please send an application email no later than of 10th of June stating your reason for applying to: icom-cc.woam@conference-service.com
Click here to view the price options.
Click here to view the preliminary program.
The venue
The museum of Gothenburg has very kindly offered to be the venue of our conference. The museum is located in the very city center of Gothenburg, facing the main canal. The building was built in 1762 as warehousing for the East Indian Company in Gothenburg and has been the home of the Museum of Gothenburg since 1861.
Take a journey through the city’s history with experiences for all ages! Explore Sweden’s only preserved Viking ship, the mystery of the enigmatic silver heart, and find out what’s the thing about Gothenburg.
The hosts
Studio Västsvensk Konservering, SVK, is a conservation/restoration studio located in Gothenburg. With twenty specialists within all materials of cultural heritage conservation we are working for private companies and public organisations, private individuals and associations.
Since 2001 SVK has developed and performed many projects within the maritime archaeological field. We have large facilities, several vacuum freeze dryers, X-ray equipment and more to analyse and treat objects from underwater and waterlogged sites.
University of Gothenburg
The University of Gothenburg's Department of Conservation administers the nation's only conservator training program. The program is a three-year bachelor's degree, a two-year master's degree specialising in the conservation of cultural heritage objects, and a doctorate degree. In addition to these, the university offers three other bachelor programs: one in the built environment, one in craft science in carpentry and masonry, and one in craft science in garden and landscape. Furthermore, a second master's program, entitled the Master of Science in Conservation and Crafts, is also available.
https://www.gu.se/en/conservation/study-here
ICOM CC
ICOM-CC is one of ICOM's International Committees, and it provides a framework within which conservation specialists can meet and work on an interdisciplinary level. The Wet Organic Archaeological Materials Working Group is one of ICOM-CC's 21 Working Groups and aims to promote the study, treatment and display of wet organic archaeological materials.
The Wet Organic Archaeological Materials Working Group (WOAM) has been a very active Group for more than 30 years. It consists of conservators, conservation scientists, archaeologists, other heritage professionals as well as students. It exists to disseminate scientific research in the field of wet organic archaeological materials, to promote the application of new materials and technologies for conservation, investigate new tools for analysis and documentation and present relevant case studies in the conservation of wet organic archaeological materials. The Interim Meetings facilitate the Working Group's exchange of information and ideas with regards to its mission and is very much a place for the exchange of new areas of research and networking for future collaborative activities.
Gothenburg
Gothenburg, a major city in Sweden, is situated off the Göta älv river on the country's west coast. An important seaport, it's known for its Dutch-style canals and leafy boulevards. Along with the Dutch, the town was also heavily influenced by Scots who settled down in Gothenburg. King Gustavus Adolphus founded Gothenburg by royal charter in 1621 as a heavily fortified, primarily Dutch, trading colony. This trading status was furthered by the founding of the Swedish East India Company.
The sea, trade, and industrial history of the city are evident in the cultural life of Gothenburg. It is also a popular destination for tourists on the Swedish west coast. Museums include the Göteborgs Konsthall, Gothenburg Museum of Art, and several museums of sea and navigation history, natural history, the sciences, and East India.
For more information and inspiration – read further here https://www.goteborg.com/en
Travel and accommodation
Ferry – there are ferries to Gothenburg from Kiel and Frederikshavn. From Kiel there are options both for night and daytime travel. https://www.stenalinetravel.com/
Train and bus – there are today several railroad companies that offer night- and daytime travel. SJ is a Swedish travel company with connections abroad. https://www.sj.se/en. Also Flixbus has several daily connections with Gothenburg from for example Berlin, Paris and Munich. FlixBus: Affordable Global Bus Travel https://global.flixbus.com/
Flight – Gothenburg, Landvetter Airport is situated east of Gothenburg. There are airport coaches to the city centre that takes 30 mins and costs about 10 EUR. https://www.swedavia.com/landvetter/
Consider the options of visit Oslo, Copenhagen or Stockholm on your way to or from Gothenburg! Trains connecting each of these cities with Gothenburg several times a day, they all take around three hours.
Nearby hotels:
- Hotel Vanilla - https://hotelvanilla.se/en/
- Hotel Royal - https://hotel-royal.com/en/home/
- Comfort hotel Gothenburg - https://www.strawberry.se/hotell/sverige/goteborg/comfort-hotel-goteborg/
- Elite Plaza hotel Gothenburg - https://www.elite.se/hotell/goteborg/elite-plaza-hotel-goteborg/
Contact
Host (questions about the schedule, practical issues, payments etc.)
Sara Roberts
woam2025@vgregion.se
Coordinator of the Wet Organic Archaeological Materials Working Group (questions about the scientific program, papers, posters, etc.)
Ida Hovmand
ICOM-CC-WOAM-2025@coms.app
Become an ICOM member!
We are encouraging all participants to be part of the ICOM community. If you are not already a member, we will recommend that you apply for a membership at your national committee. Search and get more information about your possibilities to become a member.