Cultural Safeguard Alliance

Historic objects damaged at Ireland’s National Museum included a bookcase thought to belong to Charles Stewart Parnell, a frog that got dried out, and a candelabra that lost its star. A log of mishaps of cultural items also details how the skin of a basking shark at the Natural History Museum was starting to split and ended up being fitted with a ‘nappy’ to avoid further damage. A spokesperson for the NMI said: “The care of the collection is governed by a number of policies including collection care, collection management and security policies and procedures. “These are reviewed regularly and fulfilled daily through the regular duties and operations of the staff at the National Museum.” https://lnkd.in/gyjeba5y

New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art has returned an ancient bronze griffin head stolen nearly a century ago to a museum in southern Greece, the latest repatriation marking a broader shift in the museum world to return significant artifacts. https://lnkd.in/gaaU4yM3

A museum director in the southern province of Antalya’s Demre district has been removed from her position following allegations that she illegally transferred materials from a church’s old roof system to her private villa construction site. https://lnkd.in/gb4BpJaj

The Ohio State Fire Marshal’s Office has ruled as accidental the Dec. 7 fire that destroyed parts of the historic Overfield Tavern Museum. The Fire Marshal’s report stated “the fire originated in or around the area of the boiler room in the center of the building. This area of the building contains multiple electrical and mechanical systems, as well as storage of combustible items and cleaning supplies.” The fire eventually reached smoke detectors on the first and second floors as well as the rear, activating the fire alarm system. The report included the notation that the “cleaning supplies” described by the Fire Marshal did not include cleaning products, which were stored in the bathroom. It did include mops, brooms, dustpans, buckets and other items commonly stored in a utility room. https://lnkd.in/gGztSk3g

???Exciting FREE CSA Webinar: Cultural Properties – Advancing Accessibility: Integrating Facilities and Security Excellence???? Join us for an insightful webinar featuring industry experts from the Toledo Museum of Art ???Katie Shelley, Conda Family Manager of Access Initiatives ???Risa Smith, Director of Protective Services ???Tom Huth, Director of Facilities ??? Date: Wednesday, March 26th, 2025 ??Time: 11:00 AM ET | 10:00 AM CT | 9:00 AM MT | 8:00 AM PT | 3:00 PM GMT ???Click Here to Register: https://lnkd.in/gGQu7q26 This webinar is tailored for cultural property professionals: ??? Facilities and operations professionals ??? Security, risk, and safety professionals ???Executive and Senior Leaders Our esteemed speakers will share valuable insights on crucial topics, including: ???Conducting in-house accessibility audits: Learn how to assess your institution's current accessibility status and identify areas for improvement. ???Integrating accessibility into facilities planning and maintenance: Discover strategies to incorporate accessibility considerations into your long-term planning and day-to-day operations. ?? Balancing security measures with accessibility needs: Explore innovative approaches to maintain high-security standards while ensuring an inclusive environment for all visitors. ???Ensuring visitor and artifact safety while enhancing accessibility: Gain insights on creating a safe space for both your collections and diverse audience groups. ???Fostering cross-departmental collaboration for comprehensive accessibility: Understand how to build a culture of inclusivity across all departments in your institution. Through real-world case studies and practical strategies, you'll gain the knowledge needed to create more inclusive spaces in your museum, gallery, or heritage site. This webinar offers a unique opportunity to learn from industry leaders and enhance your institution's approach to accessibility. Don't miss this chance to transform your cultural space into a more welcoming environment for all visitors and staff. Register now to secure your spot! This webinar is in partnership with the?IFMA Museums/Cultural Institutions Council. Adam Raffone, Stephanie Gardner, James MacSkimming, Justin Hitt, MBA, Rosie Gonzales, Nico Viola, CFM, SFP, Sharon E. Howard, LPC, CRT, Austin Sharpe, CPP, JP Fatseas, Doug Beaver, CPP, Les Borsay, Christopher S., Ascanio Odorico, Ilan Levine, CPP, PSP, Jamila Beasley, MBA, MS, Lori Flor, CPP, Todd Jones, CEM-MN, Corey Burrage, Jonathan Silva, Derrick D. Bowman, CPP, LJ Hartman, Frank Biceglia, Larry Mullett II, Mark Morrissey, Michael Bekebrede, Kyle Mullins, Daniel Siqueiros, Leonid Kalmanovich, Trevor Tyrrell American Alliance of Museums, Smithsonian Institution, International Council of Museums (ICOM), American Association for State and Local History (AASLH), International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), ICOM ICMS International Committee for Museum Security

?? This stunt, as absurd as it was, raises questions about the increasingly entangled relationship between art, commerce and the algorithmic logic of social media. ??? Over the weekend, videos began circulating on social media allegedly showing FBI agents breaking into a Chelsea art gallery during an exhibition opening to confiscate what was described as a “stolen” Rembrandt masterpiece—right in the middle of a crowded reception. Among the first to post the video on Instagram was filmmaker and Instagram influencer David Ma (@davidwma), who has 172k followers on the platform and more than a million on TikTok. Not long after the footage went viral, the entire spectacle was revealed to be a performance orchestrated by a previously unheard-of entity calling itself 13 Masterpieces—a name that, in itself, nods to the number of works stolen from the Gardner Museum. https://lnkd.in/dauRrHtm

Stealing Rembrandt — again. It’s very rare for a piece of artwork to be stolen more than once. But a small self-portrait etching by Rembrandt from the Gardner's collection is proof that it can happen. Anthony Amore https://lnkd.in/g2JZcNeD

A crew from Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service were seen at the entrance to Bewdley Museum on Load Street at around 12.30pm on Sunday, March 16th. An eyewitness said it looked like they were stopping people from going into the museum and staff had to be evacuated as the fire alarm sounded. https://lnkd.in/gQUvehkb

“Thirty-five years. Do you still have hope these paintings, this artwork, will be found and returned to the Gardner?” WFXT Boston 25 News asked Gardner Security Director Anthony Amore. “Absolutely we really do operate in this realm of hope that the paintings will be recovered,” Amore said. Right now, the museum is embarking on a million-dollar restoration of the Dutch room, the gallery where much of the artwork was stolen. “When our paintings do come home, they’re coming home to the best possible setting, the ways in which Isabella intended them to be shown,” Gardner Museum Collection Curator Diane Seave Greenwald said. https://lnkd.in/gzWPiGwu

A historic fort has been defaced after it was pummelled by "40 golf balls”. The fort could be “sympathetically repaired”, it remains an English Heritage building so it would be “very difficult and expensive to repair it”. https://lnkd.in/gZvJciXE