Many feel that architecture, art, and design elements should decay naturally. Others feel that all efforts should be made to preserve and restore artworks and buildings of significant historical value. What do you think? Should we go to all lengths to clean, restore and/or maintain a piece of cultural history or should we let the items succumb to the limitations of their materials and disintegrate naturally? Who gets to decide?

Write your response in a minimum of two paragraphs and make sure to cite any sources in MLA format.

Here are some topics to get you started on research and to help you form your opinion: :

Winterthur Museum: furniture conservation
Restoring Michelangelos David
World Monuments Fund
BuildingConservation.com
American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works
Journal of Architectural Conservation