MuralGuard: Intermountain Intertribal Boarding School Murals

Fine Art Conservation Laboratories recently completed an extraordinary restoration project that helped preserve a meaningful part of Native American history. A set of eleven traditional murals originally painted on the walls of federal school buildings on tribal reservations were salvaged, restored, and prepared for exhibition with the help of MuralGuard.

The murals, painted in acrylic and mixed media over house paint on plasterboard, were removed as entire sections of wall totaling over 500 sq. ft. Once in the lab, Scott Haskins and his team at Fine Art Conservation Laboratories carefully separated the paper surface from the gypsum backing, removed excess material, and remounted the artwork onto polyester fabric using conservation-grade adhesives. After repairs, mold abatement, cleaning, filling, and inpainting, the artworks were framed for long-term display.

These murals carry significant cultural value. Some will be permanently exhibited at the new museum being built on Capitol Hill in Salt Lake City, others will remain at Utah State University (USU), and some will travel for educational and cultural exhibitions. The murals have already inspired renewed interest and research into the Federal Native American Boarding School System, the very system these works reflect and challenge.

To ensure the long-term preservation of these delicate and historically rich pieces, MuralGuard was applied as a final protective coating against defacement, UV fading, and to help prolong the life of the murals. 

MuralGuard offers a clear, breathable finish that defends against UV rays, moisture, yellowing, and graffiti, all without changing the appearance of the artwork. It’s trusted by conservationists and public art organizations for its reliability and ease of use.

Thanks to this partnership between Fine Art Conservation Laboratories and protective coating technology, these murals now have a secure future, one where their stories will continue to be seen, shared, and remembered for generations.

 

 

Watch the extraordinary work that Scott Haskins and the team at Fine Art Conservation Laboratories did to restore these murals: