Getty Conservation Institute

Catch up on highlights from our in-person gathering of international Arches Project Governance Members at the Getty Center last fall. Full recap below. ⬇️

📢 We are now accepting applications for the Head, Arches Initiative role. This leadership position will direct our Heritage Data Management: Arches department, as well as liaise with and work to support the global interdisciplinary Arches open-source community. This position is pivotal to the successful future of Arches, and applicants should have extensive experience with both team leadership and progressive software analysis, development, and implementation work. The new Arches Head will strategically engage stakeholders and other organizations and professionals to foster a strong global Arches community; oversee the development and maintenance of various interconnected Arches technologies; ensure Arches-related strategic priorities are mission-centered and deliverable; and lead the activities of the Conservation Institute Arches department with budget, planning, and staffing oversight. Priority will be given to applications submitted by April 3, 2026, although applications will continue to be received and reviewed until the position is filled. Getty has partnered with Bridge Partners LLC for this job search. Please send all nominations or expressions of interest to Bridge Partners directly. Learn more about the opportunity and job application process here: 🔗 bit.ly/GCI-arches-lea…

Applications are now open for our hybrid course on Modern Architecture Conservation in India! Build specialized skills in conserving South Asia’s modern architectural heritage through lectures, demonstrations, hands-on exercises, and site visits across Ahmedabad. 💻 Online: August–October 2026 📍 In-person: November 29–December 5, 2026 in Ahmedabad, India Co-organized with the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) and CEPT Professional Programs Apply by April 6, 2026: gty.art/4dWF7j6 See how last year’s cohort of mid‑career professionals gained practical skills and new perspectives by engaging directly with some of India’s most significant modernist sites: gty.art/4tbBugz

Welcome to Los Angeles! 🌇 Participants from around the world are joining the 19th International Docomomo Conference—the first ever hosted in LA—for an in‑depth exploration of global issues and new ideas about the future built environment as it relates to the Modern Movement. To make this important gathering more accessible, the Getty Foundation has funded travel fellowships for emerging professionals from underrepresented regions. We’re delighted to welcome this year’s fellows and all conference attendees to our city. Today, participants are exploring Downtown LA on a walking tour led by Gail Ostergren, Conservation Institute historian specializing in urban, architectural, and Southern California history, and Hannah Simonson, architectural historian and preservation planner at Architectural Resources Group. Ostergren has guided many through this route as part of our International Course on the Conservation of Modern Heritage. Couldn’t join the tour? Explore one of Los Angeles’s most significant corridors of art and modern architecture through our article. 🔗 gty.art/4lA1i2Z Stay tuned for recaps from Getty-moderated sessions and more! First Photo: Neil Setchfield / Alamy Stock Photo

What’s the difference between archivists and conservators—and why are they stronger together? Our Collections department is bringing these perspectives together through a new area of work that bridges archival science and art conservation. Learn all about it. 👇

It's #FreeFriday! Today we're featuring “Environmental Management at the Government Museum and Art Gallery, Chandigarh: Analysis and Strategies” gty.art/4b80KxV The Government Museum and Art Gallery's building is both an iconic work of modern architecture by Le Corbusier and a vessel to protect and display a significant collection. Providing an interior environment conducive to preventive conservation and to human comfort in hot and humid climates, without compromising the architectural integrity of a naturally ventilated building, poses significant challenges, especially as climate extremes become more frequent. This publication presents the results of a project developed by our Conserving Modern Architecture and Managing Collection Environment initiatives to propose strategies that manage environmental risks to the collection and improve user comfort while respecting the site’s architectural value. This methodology could serve as guidance to other professionals facing similar challenges. The work presented here also reflects a broader shift toward sustainable environmental practices across the museum field. In this spirit, Getty recently joined a consortium of regional art institutions committing to climate action through the Bizot Green Protocol, a set of recommendations that support environmentally sustainable approaches to the long-term care of collections. The Bizot Green Protocol was developed using research from many institutions internationally, including our Managing Collection Environments initiative.

🔔 Applications are now open for the second iteration of our course on Modern Architecture Conservation in India! 🔔 Online: August – October, 2026 In-person: November 29 – December 5, 2026 in Ahmedabad, India. This hybrid course (online and in-person) introduces participants to key issues in the conservation of Modern Architecture, with a strong emphasis on case studies that develop practical and technical skills. It’s designed for mid-career professionals in architecture, design, engineering, conservation, site management, and related fields currently working or living in South Asian countries. Led by renowned national and international experts, this course is organized in partnership with the Indian National Trist for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) and CEPT Professional Programs. 🔗 Learn more and apply by April 6, 2026: gty.art/4dWF7j6 📷 Image by Pragya Nagar © INTACH 2024

Students in the UCLA/Getty Interdepartmental Program in the Conservation of Cultural Heritage recently had the opportunity to learn directly from our chemist Herant Khanjian during a hands‑on FTIR microscope training session. The workshop was designed to equip students with practical skills in molecular spectroscopy as applied to the study of cultural objects. Training focused on the identification of organic and inorganic materials commonly encountered in artworks and archaeological artifacts, interpretation of FTIR spectra, and a systematic approach using solvent‑assisted micro‑extraction techniques to separate soluble components in samples. Through guided exercises and real case studies, the session helped students develop the ability to understand and integrate FTIR data into conservation decision‑making, deepening their comprehension of material degradation, preservation strategies, and technical art history. As part of the practical work, a sample from a South American Wari hat from the collections of the Fowler Museum was analyzed to determine the composition of various components. The analysis and interpretation steps helped reinforce the protocol for the FTIR characterization of historical materials.

📰 The March 2026 edition of the @archesproject Bulletin is out! In this issue, you’ll find a 2025 Year in Review highlighting Arches milestones and achievements, a blog post recapping the first in‑person gathering of Arches Project Governance Members held on our campus last fall, plus updates on new implementations, recent and upcoming events, community highlights, publications, and more. 🔗 gty.art/4s0beFt

For 40 years, Donald Judd’s 100 untitled works in milled aluminum—a cornerstone of the Chinati Foundation’s collection—have lived inside repurposed artillery sheds in the high desert of Marfa, Texas. Founded by Judd, Chinati is a contemporary art museum dedicated to large‑scale, permanent installations displayed in direct dialogue with the surrounding landscape. Within that setting, Judd’s aluminum works function as precise studies in geometry and space: massive, yet incredibly delicate. Some weigh well over 1,000 pounds, but their surfaces can scratch with the slightest touch. Now, as planning for the Artillery Sheds restoration advances, Chinati is partnering with us—along with the works’ original fabricator, Lippincott LLC, and additional collaborators—to engineer safe handling of the sculptures throughout the project. The works will also receive conservation treatment to address decades of staining that obscure Judd’s intended perceptual effect, work that ties directly to our research into cleaning modern metals. Last week, Bogna Skwara, Chinati’s Head of Conservation and a former graduate intern at the Conservation Institute, visited the Getty Center to collaborate with our Collections and Science teams, as well as Getty’s imaging specialists and the Museum’s conservation specialists, engaging their combined expertise to advance this complex project. 📷: Bogna Skwara works with Conservation Institute conservator Ellen Moody to evaluate cleaning methods for on an off-cut sample of milled aluminum from the artwork's fabrication 📷: Donald Judd, 100 untitled works in mill aluminum, 1982-1986. Permanent collection, The Chinati Foundation, Marfa, Texas. Photo by Douglas Tuck, courtesy of The Chinati Foundation. Donald Judd Art © 2026 Judd Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. 📷: Donald Judd, Artillery shed with 100 untitled works in aluminum, 1982-1986. Permanent collection, The Chinati Foundation, Marfa, Texas. Photo by Florian Holzherr, courtesy of The Chinati Foundation. Donald Judd Art © 2026 Judd Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.

For Getty, a healthy planet is fundamental to our ability to preserve our collective heritage. At the Conservation Institute, we have been actively engaged in researching sustainable control and management of collection environments for over 10 years and are committed to advancing more sustainable solutions for collections care, storage, emergency preparedness, transit, and training and support for professionals in the field.

Are there any special places associated with African American heritage that you think need more awareness or protection? Join our preservation efforts and share your place-based story with the African American Historic Places, LA - Community Survey! 🎤 bit.ly/4aDHjeI

Last week, 11 experts from across North America came together to explore the future of nature‑based pest deterrents in museums and heritage institutions. Over the course of the three-day meeting, participants defined needs for additional testing and case studies to help advance the field of pest‑management in cultural heritage contexts. Conversations highlighted the benefits of using nature‑based materials, the integration of traditional and modern approaches, and pathways for adopting native knowledge systems into the pest-management strategies of collections. The group also toured the Getty Museum to observe the real‑world pest-management considerations of a collection on display. We look forward to sharing the outcomes and insights from this meeting as the work continues!

LA colleagues! Join us at the UCLA campus for an open dialogue on the conservation and research of Indigenous heritage with four professionals from various disciplines who work with diverse stakeholders across countries and cultural heritage contexts. “Community-Engaged Experiences in Conservation and Research on Indigenous Heritage” 🗓️ March 23, 2026 🕓 4:00 PM 📍 Room: Dodd Hall 247 100 Dodd Hall, 405 Hilgard Avenue Department of Art History, UCLA We will explore the ethical, practical, and epistemological dimensions of collaborative work between Indigenous communities and cultural heritage professionals. Through examples of partnerships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants, the speakers will reflect on how co-creation can be defined, enacted, and evaluated - and how it influences reciprocity, equity, and questions of ownership. This open dialogue aims to highlight what practitioners and communities can learn from one another and how collaborative heritage work can contribute to more just, reflective, and sustainable practices. Learn about the roundtable participants: gty.art/4tWU1OJ Please RSVP in advance; walk-ins welcome: bit.ly/4s8wDff 📷: Image courtesy of Cecilia Benedetti

It's time for another free #DigitalResource in conservation! "Cezanne Paintings and Watercolors at the Art Institute of Chicago" is an interactive publication offering insights into Paul Cezanne’s unique methods and materials through richly detailed essays and cutting-edge technical reports gty.art/4u4woDZ @artinstitutechi

Join us for a free, hybrid event exploring how conservation can shape and expand access to museum collections. “Opening the Vault: Conservation's Role in (re)Thinking Access to Collections” 🗓️ March 10, 2026 🕒 3:00 PM – Reception to follow 📍 Harold M. Williams Auditorium Getty Center As museums worldwide place increasing emphasis on making their collections more available, the role of conservation has never been more central. With the majority of global movable heritage housed in storage rather than on display, and institutions facing growing space constraints, improving access is no longer optional; it’s an ethical and practical imperative. Four distinguished panelists will share their perspectives on what meaningful access looks like today, highlighting the evolving responsibilities of conservation professionals and the opportunities ahead for more open, inclusive, and sustainable access to cultural heritage. 🎟️ RSVP: gty.art/4cTarS1

Yesterday we welcomed Mr. Jaime Casafranca, Consul General, and Mr. Adán Silva, Deputy Consul of Peru in Los Angeles to share our ongoing work on the seismic retrofitting of historic earthen buildings and outline Getty's long-term commitment to conserving Peruvian cultural heritage. Experts from across the Conservation Institute and colleagues from the Museum presented their projects, including the decade-long effort to preserve and strengthen the Church of Kuñotambo, a 17th-century adobe building located in a remote Andean village, using local materials, techniques, and expertise. They also shared the impact of their efforts in capacity building and community engagement, as well as the resources created to help guide similar projects throughout the region. As our work in Peru continues to advance, we look forward to sharing what comes next, especially with the Peruvian community in Los Angeles.

It's #FreeFriday! "Managing Collection Environments: Technical Notes & Guidance" presents a holistic perspective on the sustainable environmental management of collections in museums, galleries, archives, and libraries gty.art/3OmOtKo

This week, we’re hosting an experts meeting to advance understanding and collaboration around the use of nature-based pest deterrents for museums and cultural heritage institutions, particularly in North America. This event brings together 11 invited participants from Canada, Mexico, and the US, along with Getty staff. Over the next several days, we’ll assess field needs and current knowledge, evaluate scientific and ethical considerations, discuss relationships and community-engaged approaches, and explore pathways for future research and collaboration. Today, participants shared their backgrounds and perspectives on the field, drawing from their personal expertise and previous experiences with nature-based pest deterrents. The afternoon featured discussions on research in partnership with Native communities and on testing protocols. Stay connected for more updates!