Should Artifact Replicas Be Allowed in Museums?

In this Tested episode, Adam Savage teams up with wooden artifacts conservator Curtis Sullivan at the National Park Service Museum Conservation Lab to dive into the three-year build of a replica traveling trunk once owned by Theodore Roosevelt. Along the way they unpack why museums sometimes swap originals for replicas, how the conservation process works, and even play a guessing game: which trunk is the real deal?

The NPS lab’s future is on shaky ground—its lease was canceled by Doge and then only extended for one year—so if you’re itching to support their conservation magic, consider visiting a national park, writing to your reps, or donating to the National Park Conservation Association.

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