View map of participants' countries of origin.

Salzburg Global Seminar

From October 28 – November 1, 2009, guardians of the world’s cultural treasures met in Salzburg, Austria, to explore global themes related to conservation and preservation and develop recommendations for protecting collections around the world. The invitation-only seminar, “Connecting to the World’s Collections: Making the Case for Conservation and Preservation of our Cultural Heritage,” was co-hosted by IMLS and the Salzburg Global Seminar.

November 20, 2009 Press Release:
Guardians of World Treasures Sign Salzburg Declaration on the
Conservation and Preservation of Cultural Heritage

October 15, 2009 Press Release:
Guardians of World Treasures Meet to Discuss Conservation Issues, Possible Solutions

Participants and leaders issued a set of recommendations to overcome institutional, logistical, political, and financial barriers to the optimal conservation of collections. A publication summarizing these recommendations will be posted on the IMLS and Salzburg Global Seminar Web sites (www.imls.gov and www.SalzburgGlobal.org) and sent to key stakeholders around the world.

Report:
Connecting to the World's Collections: Making the Case for the Conservation and Preservation of our Cultural Heritage (PDF Download; 3.5MB)

Now Available: Video from the Seminar Watch an interview with IMLS Director Anne-Imelda M. Radice and a keynote address by Lonnie Bunch, Director of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Blog Posts from the Seminar
Richard McCoy, Associate Conservator of Objects at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, blogged from the seminar at www.iiconservation.org/wpress. Read his posts below:

10/31: Preliminary Results and the Salzburg Declaration on the Conservation and Preservation of Cultural Heritage

10/30: On Looking for New Models

10/29: Days Like These Don’t Come Along Very Often

10/26: Guten Morgen, You’ve Got Homework

10/23: An Open Invitation to Connect with me in Salzburg