Emergency Planning in Museums

On January 27-28, 1992 the GCI and the J. Paul Getty Museum will hold their first workshop on Emergency Planning in Museums. The workshop is designed to provide instruction and guidance to museum directors and senior staff on how to prepare for and respond to an emergency.

Workshop topics will include: the importance of an emergency plan within a museum's collection management policy, the principles of emergency planning, decision-making in emergencies, and preparing and implementing an emergency drill. The principal speakers will be the directors and staff of the J. Paul Getty Museum and the GCI. Additional presentations will be given by senior staff of museums that have recently experienced serious emergencies.

Museum directors and senior staff from institutions with a relatively high vulnerability to disasters have been invited to participate in this initial workshop. The GCI Training Program will evaluate the results of the workshop for future activities.

Preventive Conservation

The GCI 's next course on preventive conservation will be held May 4-20, 1992. The principal aim of this annual course is to provide the latest technical information on control of the museum environment and to encourage the implementation of preventive conservation practices within museums. The course is designed for mid- to senior-level conservators.

In 1992 the course will be increased from ten to thirteen days to include a number of new sessions on the environmental concerns of exhibitions, and the packing and transport of art objects. In addition, the session on aesthetic, low-level lighting will be expanded.