The Science department carries out scientific research into a broad range of conservation issues, with the overall aim of advancing conservation practice around the world. We work across all sectors of the visual arts, including collections and built heritage, to help understand how the world's cultural heritage was created, how it has altered and is likely to change further with age, and to develop and evaluate effective and sustainable conservation strategies, treatments, and approaches.
In its scientific work, the Getty Conservation Institute seeks to undertake a broad portfolio of scientific research, across all types of cultural heritage, and including all aspects of conservation science; improve the long-term preservation and stability of works of art or other forms of cultural heritage; evaluate new procedures and analytical techniques for application in the field; disseminate our research to the conservation community through an active program of publications, workshops and conferences; provide scientific support to Getty projects; and develop heritage science as a discipline.
Staff in the Science department have a variety of education and training backgrounds, including biology, chemistry, engineering, materials science, physics, as well as conservation practice, enabling us to undertake a great range of projects and research questions.
