By KARIN VON LERBER

The off-site storage of the decorative art collection held by the Historical Museum Thurgau in Frauenfeld, Switzerland, was contaminated by asbestos fallout that had been distributed through the air ducts. This paper describes the asbestos abatement of the collection. After a series of preliminary tests, a decontamination zone was constructed to comply with health and safety laws. Cleaning processes were devised, labeling was developed to facilitate communication, and testing protocols were established. Cleaning involved vacuum cleaning, adjustable compressed air, and brushing. For rough surfaces, only vacuum cleaning was successful. For smooth surfaces, the combination of brushing and compressed air was effective and fast. The average time needed for all steps, including setting up the objects in the new storage area, was 20–25 minutes per object. With 12–20 participants constantly present, cleaning and moving took 10,180 hours over four months. Three different methods of clearance testing confirmed that all objects had been successfully cleaned.