The Institute of Conservation (Icon) is a charity and the professional body for conservators and restorers in the United Kingdom. It has over three thousand members, including professional conservators working with heritage objects and buildings.
Icon was formed in 2005 as a result of a merger between five smaller bodies: The United Kingdom Institute for Conservation, The Institute of Paper Conservation, The Scottish Society for Conservation and Restoration, the Photographic Materials Conservation Group and the Care of Collections Forum. These five organisations were known collectively as the 'Vanguard Bodies' of the National Council for Conservation-Restoration (NCCR). In 2006 a sixth organisation, the Institute of Conservation Science, which had not been part of the NCCR, merged into Icon.
Seven other bodies which were also members of the NCCR opted not to merge into Icon in 2005. These were:
The British Antique Furniture Restorer's Association
The British Association of Paintings Conservator-Restorers
Two Irish bodies, the Institute of Conservator-restorers in Ireland (IPCRA) and The Institute for the Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works in Ireland (ICHAWI) which merged with IPRCA in 2013
Three 'hybrid' bodies, combining conservators and non-conservators in their membership - NatSCA, the BHI and the Society of Archivists which merged into the Archives and Records Association in 2010.
Icon is a member of the National Heritage Science Forum
Icon operates a professional accreditation scheme for suitably trained and qualified professionals in conservation and restoration called PACR (Professional Accreditation of Conservator-Restorers.)
Icon operates the Conservation register of practices with an accredited employee in the UK or Ireland
Icon was formerly a member of the European Confederation of Conservator-Restorers' Organisations, but withdrew in 2007
