A newly discovered mold species, aspergillus section restricti, is damaging artworks and cultural objects across Denmark. Detected in 12 museums including the National Museum of Denmark and Skagens Museum, the fungus thrives in dry environments—the very conditions used to preserve artifacts. Conservators describe it as an "epidemic" that also poses health risks to visitors. The National Museum is relocating affected works to a new warehouse near Copenhagen, but no solution has been found yet. Preliminary studies are underway at 150 additional cultural sites to assess the spread.
This matters because the mold threatens irreplaceable cultural heritage and challenges standard conservation practices that rely on dry storage. If the fungus is as widespread as experts suspect—potentially global—museums worldwide may need to rethink preservation methods. The Danish Museums Association is awaiting research results before deciding on next steps, highlighting the urgency of developing new strategies to combat this emerging threat.