Our goal is to be the most comprehensive source of information and support for those implementing integrated pest management policies and procedures in collections-holding and cultural heritage institutions.
Up to 54% of collections have reported damage from pests. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a proactive preventive approach that dramatically reduces pests in your building and increases safety to staff and visitors by reducing the use of pesticides, which saves your institution money in the long-term.
Tips for Use
The site’s first four sections (prevention, monitoring, identification, solutions) cover issues in developing, implementing, and managing an IPM plan for your institution – whatever your collection type. Each element is explained with detailed information, samples of documents and forms, and links that you can follow to access even more resources.
- PREVENTION – Implementing IPM & preventing pest access
- MONITORING – Monitoring & tracking pest populations
- IDENTIFICATION – Identifying potential pest threats
- SOLUTIONS – Treating outbreaks in the safest manner possible
- VERTEBRATES – For pests with fewer than 6 legs
- RESOURCES – Additional resources pertaining to IPM
- CONFERENCES – Content from major IPM conferences
- BLOG – Updates on MuseumPests-Working Group activities
- FAQ – Answers to common questions
- ABOUT US – Learn about the group behind MuseumPests.net
You can also use the Search feature on the main menu bar to find resources from throughout the site related to your search topic.
Our goal is to be the most comprehensive source of information and support for those implementing integrated pest management policies and procedures in collections-holding and cultural heritage institutions.
Up to 54% of collections have reported damage from pests. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a proactive preventive approach that dramatically reduces pests in your building and increases safety to staff and visitors by reducing the use of pesticides, which saves your institution money in the long-term.
Tips for Use
The site’s first four sections (prevention, monitoring, identification, solutions) cover issues in developing, implementing, and managing an IPM plan for your institution – whatever your collection type. Each element is explained with detailed information, samples of documents and forms, and links that you can follow to access even more resources.
- PREVENTION – Implementing IPM & preventing pest access
- MONITORING – Monitoring & tracking pest populations
- IDENTIFICATION – Identifying potential pest threats
- SOLUTIONS – Treating outbreaks in the safest manner possible
- RESOURCES – Additional resources pertaining to IPM
- CONFERENCES – Content from major IPM conferences
- BLOG – Updates on MuseumPests-Working Group activities
- FAQ – Answers to common questions
- ABOUT US – Learn about the group behind MuseumPests.net
You can also use the Search feature on the main menu bar to find resources from throughout the site related to your search topic.
Schedule for Pesty Presentation 2025
MuseumPests & Pest Odyssey Public Presentation Session October 7, 2025 call for abstracts
2025 MuseumPests Working Group Program Announcement
In Memorium: Mel Houston 1967-1923
2024 MuseumPests & Pest Odyssey Public Presentation Session
21st MuseumPests Working Group
2024 MPWG Meeting Projects
2024 MuseumPests Meeting Schedule
2024 MuseumPests Working Group Program Announcement
2023 MuseumPests are back in person! – Session Recap
ANNOUNCEMENTS :
SUPPORT MuseumPests.net and the PestList!
MuseumPests is an all volunteer effort. But we raise funds when major upgrades to this site are needed. Our Webmaster/Programmer Leon Zak has kept us running for 19 years. Your online donation or purchase of MuseumPests swag will support the site, keeping resources freely available for the cultural heritage IPM community. Read more about our fundraising campaign.
Annual Pesty Presentations Session
The latest collaboration between the MPWG and UK Pest Odyssey group, took place on October 7, 2025. Abstracts and the slide decks from the nine presentations are available on our Conferences page under the 2025 Pesty Presentation Session. To view the presentations and those from past years visit our YouTube channel or the MuseumPests Facebook page.
MuseumPests 2026 Meeting
If you are interested in hosting the 23rd annual meeting of the MuseumPests Working Group please reach out to chair@museumpests.net. If you would like to attend next year’s meeting please use the Contact Us page on the site to be added to our mailing list for future updates.
Noteworthy
Did you know that between 30-50 people meet every year to update MuseumPests and develop new resources? Read more about the group on the About Us section of the site and our Blog. Since its inception, the group behind the site called itself the Integrated Pest Management Working Group (IPM-WG). In 2019 we officially changed our name to the MuseumPests Working Group (MPWG). We aren’t just for the benefit of museums but it is a catchier name than the Museum, Library, Archive, Historic House and Collection-holding IPM Working Group (MLAHHCHIPM-WG). Mostly the change in name means that we don’t have to specify that we are the group behind MuseumPests.net!
MuseumPests is Social
Want to keep up with MP-WG activities and members? Check out our social media presence on Twitter @MuseumPests, Instagram @museumpests, Facebook and visit the MuseumPests YouTube channel to view the curated playlists of videos on IPM topics. If you have a post or video that you’d like to add, contact our social media team at social@museumpests.net.
U.K. & European IPM Working Group Updates
Stay tuned for information on the Conference for Integrated Pest Management for Cultural Heritage (IPM) International to be held in Berlin, September 2024
Integrated Pest Management for Collections, the post-prints from the 2021 Pest Odyssey conference.in London is now available for purchase. Visit the Pest Odyssey site for to listen to a recording of the papers presented at the Pest Odyssey Network’s July 2020 open meeting centered around the theme Pest Off with COVID and Other Stories.
Access the postprints and posters from 4th international conference on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in Stockholm, Sweden, 21-23 May 2019.
Search the PestList Archives
Find answers to common questions using our PestList archive – http://www.mail-archive.com/pestlist@museumpests.net
Call for Images
The MuseumPests Image Gallery is always interested in adding images of pests, damage to museum collections as well as IPM activities in progress. If you have any you are willing to share, please submit them via our image submissions page.
Sponsorship & Participating Institutions
We are grateful for the generous sponsorship of the organizations that helped fund the creation of this website as well as the support of the participating institutions whose staff has contributed time, talent and resources to build & maintain this site.