The Getty Institutional Archives collects and keeps the permanent records of the J. Paul Getty Trust and other documents pertinent to its history, collections, and research interests. These holdings are essential for institutional continuity and accountability, and are an important source of evidence for scholars interested in Getty history and its mission-central activities.

The J. Paul Getty Trust is dedicated to the increase and diffusion of artistic and general knowledge and therefore is committed to providing all registered users of the Archives with equitable service and access to the holdings. Records in the Archives are opened to researchers as soon as possible. Access to some records must be restricted due to statutes, personal privacy rights, institutional proprietary rights, or through agreement between the Archives and transferring offices or donors.

General Access Policy

• Research use of Institutional Archives collections will be administered according to policies and procedures consistent with those in place for access to other rare and unique materials.
• All records intended for public circulation or approved for public release are open for research.
• Records will be opened for research as soon as possible. Once a record is open, it will remain open.
• At the time records are transferred to Institutional Archives, the head of the originating department and an archivist will come to agreement on which records are open for research and those which need to be restricted for longer periods.
• Any restriction to access may be waived only by the General Counsel or the originating office (or its successor). External donors of collections may waive prior negotiated restrictions at any time.
• Current Officers have authority to inspect all records, except for materials sealed by outside donors.
• The J. Paul Getty Trust reserves the right to restrict access to any records held by the Getty Institutional Archives.

Guidelines for Closed Records

• Closed records may be inspected only by the General Counsel, the director of the originating program or division, or their designees.
• The following records are permanently closed: records containing personal information (including salary information, social security numbers, grievances, home contact information, family information, medical information, financial information, or any information related to character, general reputation, personal characteristics, or mode of living), records that compromise security or operations, legal communications, legal work product, and records related to donors.
• The following records are closed for 35 years after the latest inclusive date of each accession: minutes and correspondence of the Board of Trustees and its committees, records of the Officers and Program Directors, records of curatorial and registrar offices, and any record series that includes information about collection acquisitions.