GCI scientist examining a 19th-century photograph. The conservation of photography is relatively young when compared with other museum conservation areas. To expand the body of knowledge regarding photographic conservation, the GCI has embarked on a collaborative project to advance techniques for characterizing photographic material and identifying variations in photographic processes. Photo: Alexandra Botelho.

Conservation science uses the theoretical and applied disciplines of science and engineering to gain a greater understanding of how best to preserve cultural resources. At the Getty Conservation Institute (GCI), the objective of scientific work is to develop and promote appropriate solutions to the conservation problems of collections, works of art, architecture, archaeological sites, and monuments. GCI scientists focus on the needs of conservation professionals working to preserve these resources.

Research Goals

The Science group's main research efforts include studying deterioration of materials and collaborating with conservators on the design and evaluation of conservation solutions. The ultimate objective is the development of methods that can slow deterioration and, at the same time, prevent further damage. In service to conservators and others caring for works of art and other forms of material heritage, scientists provide essential information regarding the causes of deterioration and options for appropriate treatment. Working with conservators, they devise conservation solutions and assess treatment performance.

	Scientists examining the Raman spectrum of an object under the adjoining microscope. Raman spectroscopy provides information about an objects molecular structure and is one of the non-invasive techniques used by GCI scientists to identify pigments and other materials in works of art. Photo: Dennis Keeley.

The GCI also conducts scientific research on materials' composition—and on the processes used to create works of art—which can contribute to the scholarly interpretation of art and artifacts from the past. In addition, the Institute works collaboratively with conservators and curators on the examination of works of art and the characterization of materials, pigments, media, and deterioration products, in part through its laboratories at the Getty Center and the Getty Villa. GCI scientific staff also assist in resolving issues involving the dating and authentication of objects.

Research Projects

	Staff from the GCI and Getty Museum examining an old master drawing from the Museums collection. In the past decade, the effectiveness of most preventive conservation guidelines has been affirmed—yet with this confirmation come new questions of risk management. The GCI is involved in a collaborative project to determine the extent to which techniques for illuminating works of art on paper can be improved or modified. Photo: Dennis Keeley.

Research projects are designed with interdisciplinary—and often intra-Getty—teams that may include scientists, conservators, curators, and other related professionals. Initially, feasibility studies are conducted, and collaborative work with other appropriate organizations considered and initiated. Following this preparatory phase, projects are ready for final design and execution, often in collaboration with international partners.

Projects are planned with the goal of identifying the materials and the original technologies of the objects of study as a basis for determining the causes of their deterioration. With this information, conservation strategies can be developed. Dissemination of results is a critical part of all research and is done through the production of didactic materials, presentations at conferences and symposia, articles in peer-reviewed scientific and conservation journals, Getty publications, and project descriptions on the Getty website.

	The GCI-designed environmental monitoring station at the Maya site of Copán in Honduras. Since 1990, the GCI has installed similar stations at a number of sites around the world. The stations provide a broad spectrum of quantifiable data on environmental conditions affecting the sites.

Staff and Laboratories

The GCI's scientific department has approximately twenty-five scientists and support staff. Expertise in the department includes chemistry, geology, materials science, physics, and engineering. The department is organized into six major conservation research units:

• collections and objects
• analytical technologies
• environmental studies
• building materials
• the Museum Research Laboratory; and
• the GCI Analytical Laboratory at the Getty Villa.

To facilitate the work of these units, the GCI laboratories are equipped with a range of state-of-the-art research tools that include analytical instrumentation and equipment designed for materials characterization.