Once or twice a month, on a Saturday afternoon, the Historical Archives of Macao opens its doors to curious members of the public who come to attend one of its Conservation Workshops. Up to twelve participants meet in the Gallery of the old Historical Archives building to learn some of the fascinating skills used in conserving paper records. Designs so far have ranged from paperback and hard cover notebooks to silk-bound volumes and accordion fold-out books.

The Conservation Workshops were launched in June 2009 to mark the newly established International Archives Day. The aim is to give local citizens an insight into this most traditional craft while demonstrating the care Historical Archives professionals extend to the historic documents they work with every day. The conservators working in the Historical Archives have years of experience and training in handling these precious records, and they are keen to share some of the basic notions involved in this craft with members of the public.

While the presentation is mostly in Chinese, instructional support is also provided in English. Additionally, support is on hand for the hearing-disabled. Using a combination of visual presentation, written notes in Chinese and English, and practical demonstrations by the professional conservators, participants of all ages, some as young as ten years old, can spend a relaxing afternoon in the airy gallery of this historic building on Tap Seac Square and take away a completed handicraft project when they leave.

Registration for each workshop opens a few days before the scheduled date, and places usually get snapped up very quickly. The registration fee is MOP$20 and participants do not need to bring any materials or equipment.

All workshops start at 2pm and end at 5pm. The Historical Archives of Macao will hold another of its popular binding workshops on Saturday 24th of April.   Registration will open on April 19th for the workshop taking place on April 24th. To register, please visit the Historical Archives of Macao (open Mon-Fri, 09:30-18.30, Sat, 13.00-18.00) and pay the workshop fee of MOP$20. Places are limited and will be distributed according to order of registration. For more information about individual workshops, please visit www.archives.gov.mo. For further details, please contact Ms. Esther Chu at 85986537.

To better inform the public of this activity, the schedule for the remainder of 2010 is as follows: