Supervisors info:
Δρ. Στυλιανός Λόζιος, (επιβλέπων) Επ. Καθηγητής, Γεωλογίας και Γεωπεριβάλλοντος, ΕΚΠΑ
Δρ. Ευθύμιος Λέκκας, Καθηγητής, Γεωλογίας και Γεωπεριβάλλοντος, ΕΚΠΑ
Δρ. Χαρίκλεια Ντρίνια, Καθηγήτρια, Γεωλογίας και Γεωπεριβάλλοντος, ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
Museums are cultural units with infinite possibilities and can contribute decisively to the overall cultural scene. Based on their very nature, museums are related to safety and security issues, as they are the "keepers" of our cultural heritage. The importance of cultural objects is an integral part of every nation’s identity.
According to the definition given by the International Council of Museums (I.C.O.M.) as written in its statute, a museum is “a non-profit, permanent office or organization subordinate to social service and development, open to public, which acquires, preserves, studies, communicates and exhibits material evidence of man and his environment for the purpose of study, education and entertainment."The above definition emphasizes the public nature and social role of museums that aim in preserving their collections. The role of museums is not only to highlight the exhibits, but to collect, study, preserve and interpret the objects and generally the tokens of material culture. The definition covers principles generally accepted by the international museum community.
There are many museum kinds and categories with different policies, strategies and history, nationally and globally, so we have formulated and adopted other definitions too, which emphasize priorities in different levels. But all definitions consider the existence of collections and their exhibition the core of any museum.
All competent authorities and relevant personnel are responsible for developing strategic directions and over sighting of museums. They have also got as their primary responsibility the protection and promotion of our cultural heritage. UNESCO’s General Assembly, by signing the 1972 Treaty on the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, obliges Member-States to recognize that the sites which belong in the World Heritage List and in their national territory are, taking into consideration public and private property rights, a world heritage "for the protection of which the international community is responsible to work as a whole."It also helps member-states to protect these areas by providing technical assistance, training and emergency financial assistance in areas that are in imminent danger. The International Organization promotes worldwide the presentation of humanity's cultural and natural heritage and encourages international cooperation to safeguard them. Greece has undersigned UNESCO’s Convention for the protection of monuments and world heritage sites since 1981. UNESCO's aim is to protect them from any kind of damage and destruction, in order to pass them on to future generations. The Greek state is fully in line with international standards.
Risk management plays an important role in evaluating the hazards and weaknesses, identifying objectives and long-term strategies, strengthening prevention meters and mitigating hazards.
Careful, responsible planning of confronting hazards and disasters can minimize their impact on people and museum collections. Disasters can be caused by extreme natural phenomena (earthquakes, floods, fires, etc.), by human disasters (terrorist acts, negligent accidents, sabotage, etc.) and by building hazards (construction, electricity, etc.). The environmental conditions of museums are equally important to the maintenance of collections and objects. Pollution (chemicals and noise), humidity, temperature and lighting can potentially exacerbate or even destroy the material cultural artifacts preserved, protected and presented in museum collections. The environmental conditions of a museum require preventive measures such as systematic study, recording and evaluation in order to plan correctly the exhibition and storage of museum collections.
In any emergency case there are three distinct phases to manage risks in a museum. The first phase concerns the preparation for any potential risk, the second phase concerns the response to events while occurring and the third phase concerns the recovery, which is the process of attempted restoration. The most determining factor is the risk assessment since it is the basis to evaluate the adequacy of existing measures and to plan any changes or improvements. In the prevention phase it is particularly important to the security program to train the staff effectively. Their role in the safety of museums and cultural heritage is essential and fundamental. So there is a need to formulate a policy of risk management, with a view to preserving the collections and deliver them intact to the future generations.
This essay is divided into eight sections.
The first section deals with the definition of a museum and its historical evolution from ancient times to today. In ancient times the word "museum" was the mosque or temple of the Muses. In Hellenistic times the rulers established in their yards buildings dedicated to the patrons of the arts, the Muses. In the Renaissance the term "museum" refers to private collections of the aristocracy, while in the Age of Enlightenment refers to collections of books. In the 18th century the word "museum" is related to a specific building. In the 19th century we have the establishment of the first museums open to the public, as places for safekeeping and education. Today the definition of a museum covers the existence and management of a collection.
The second section discusses definitions and basic concepts, such as "destroy", "hazard", "vulnerability", "ability", "jeopardy", "mitigation", "recovery" and "reduction of risk" to avoid any misunderstandings.
The third section presents in detail the risk management, analysis, assessment and finally identification of risk and how to minimize or eliminate risks and disasters. Management is the most crucial aspect of risks and seeks to eliminate, limit and reduce disaster impacts. The core of good management is identification and handling of risks. That's why we need to invest in analysis and risk assessment to identify and evaluate them.
The fourth section first examines the two main categories: natural and manmade disasters. Natural disasters are caused by processes that take place in nature with or without the presence of man and manmade disasters are caused by mechanisms of the technological development and / or aggressive behavior of men. Then we examine the factors that contribute to the deterioration and even the destruction of the museum collections, which are: i) Environmental risks (relative humidity, temperature, lighting and air pollution), ii) Man-made (fire, theft, vandalism, terrorism etc.) iii) Natural (earthquake, fire and flood), iv) Biological (insects, micro-organisms, parasites) and v) Building risks (construction, electricity, etc.)
The fifth section lists examples of manmade disasters from Iraq, Baghdad, Boston and Ancient Olympia and natural disasters from Florence and Dresden.
The sixth section lists the protection and safety standards in museums. The safety of the premises and the security of the collections are achieved by special measures taken by the museum managers, stuff and the competent authorities. We then mention the Rescue Wheel, a safety method applicable to museums, files, etc. in U.S.A. The Response to Emergency and the Rescue Wheel were created by the National Response Force of the Federal Emergency Management Union in collaboration with Getty Institute and the National Institute of Cultural Heritage Conservation. Many national organizations, institutions and NGOs participate in the Rescue Wheel. The Rescue Wheel was designed to help cultural centers within 48 hours of the emergency. The wheel consists of a bidirectional plan allowing readers to gain important information in two areas. One side of the plan leads readers to follow a plan of nine basic steps, from safety instructions to rescue priorities. The other side of the plan provides reactions and techniques suitable for specific collections or objects.
The seventh section analyzes the Museum of Mineralogy and Petrology, which occupies a separate part of the building of Geology and Paleontology Department, with a total area of about 900 m. It describes its area and checks whether the museum meets the safety requirements.
The eighth section examines the conclusions reached.
