Infrared spectrometry has a long history of application in art and archaeology, especially as a technique for the identificaiton of organic materials. The great improvements in resolution and sensitivity made possible by modern Fourier Transform Infrared spectrometers have made the method a prime tool for studying the deterioration mechanisms of materials in museum objects. Combining microscope attachments with these spectrometers and using them in the non-destructive reflection mode will broaden the range of application of this methodology and increase its importance within the museum laboratory. In this paper we provide a brief description of reflectance FTIR, sampling techniques, and the IR system we have acquired. We then discuss experiments we have performed to test the potential of the system and discover any limitations. We also provide examples of identifications we have made of coatings on museum objects.