Participants in ARIS07 recording conditions of the eighteenth-century wall paintings in Santa Cecilia in Rome. Photo: Rand Eppich

The Architectural Records, Inventories, and Information Systems for Conservation (ARIS) course is designed to lead to better-informed conservation decisions through the use of appropriate tools and techniques of documentation. Specific objectives include understanding emerging technologies, organizing data for easy access and use, and applying the most appropriate form of recording for conservation.

Jointly sponsored by the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) and the Getty Conservation Institute courses were held in:

2005 (ARIS05)
2007 (ARIS07)
2009 (ARIS09)

This advanced international course in architectural conservation, heritage recording, and information management is unique among conservation training courses because it examines the conservation of built heritage through the use of high-technology documentation tools and through easy-to-use techniques and research. The course looks at the proper use of these technologies to ensure that the tool selection is determined by conservation needs. In addition to instructor-led sessions, participants learn through peer presentations, lectures, exchanges, and the preparation of reports.

	Team members from Zanzibar, Greece, Germany, and Lithuania closely examining original techniques in raking light. To date, participants from more than fifty countries have taken an ARIS course. Photo: Rand Eppich

The first ARIS course, inspired by the documentation component of ICCROM's Architectural Conservation courses, was created and led by ICCROM in 2003. The GCI's partnership began with the 2005 course. The series of ARIS courses is now undergoing a formal evaluation to measure the impact on the conservation profession and conservation education.

Last updated: February 2011