The Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, UK, has unveiled the first of three broken 17th century Chinese vases to mark the launch of a new exhibition on conservation.

The Mission Impossible? exhibit explores the issues that face the curators when deciding the best treatment for works of art in order to preserve them while also making them accessible to today’s visitors.

The exhibition was planned long before a visitor to the museum damaged three Chinese vases after tripping up on his shoelace, knocking them to the ground.

Conservator Penny Bendall said: “I’m thrilled the vase can go back on display in such a topical exhibition.”

The display also features conservation case studies drawn from the museum’s collections of fine art, antiquities and applied arts as well as information on the impact of agents of degradation such as the self-destructing components of glass and artists’ pigments and the damaging effects of light.

In addition, an interactive section includes working models to encourage visitors to touch objects to demonstrate the negative effects of repeated handling. Details: www.fitzwilliam.cam.ac.uk

Photograph: copyright The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge