The research questionnaire report Vibratory Impacts of Music and Transport on Museum Collections was recently by the international research group who developed the questionnaire and summarized the results. The questionnaire was circulated in 2020-2022 by several museum-related organizations, including AIC, ARCS, IIC, ICON, and ICOM-CC working groups. Over 150 respondents from 138 institutions around the world participated by providing detailed information about their current practices and experiences with vibrations of their collections during musical events and transport of objects. The report summarized the data, analyzed the results, and quoted (with permission) responses from museums around the world on these topics.

Now, the research group in partnership with AIC and ARCS will be offering a webinar series to present the research questionnaire report and answer questions, especially regarding next steps needed in future research to develop specific guidelines.

In the first half of each 90-minute session, speakers from the research group will provide a high-level summary of report, along with comments on the results from a conservation perspective and a collections specialist perspective. In the second half of each session, the research group will serve as panelists to answer questions submitted via chat by webinar participants.

Participants are encouraged to read the research questionnaire report in advance of the webinar, click here, and to come prepared to submit questions and discussion topics, especially those focused on what further research, initiatives, working groups, etc. would be the best next steps toward developing practical guidelines that can be used in the field.

Dates and times (same program each time):

April 18, 2023, 9:00 to 10:30 AM CDT (14.00 to 15.30 UTC/GMT)
April 25, 2023, 9:00 to 10:30 AM CDT (14.00 to 15.30 UTC/GMT)
Note that the starting times are, for example, 7 AM PDT, 10 AM EDT, 15:00 BST in London, 16:00 CEST in Amsterdam/Berlin/Paris.

Register for the webinar using this registration page.

Speakers and Panelists:

The entire research group will participate as either speakers or panelists. Speakers will be:

Arne Johnson, Principal Structural Engineer, Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Northbrook, Illinois
Dr. Catherine Higgitt, Principal Scientist, Scientific Department, The National Gallery, London
Mark Ryan, Assistant Director for Collections & Exhibitions, Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum, St. Louis, Missouri
Dr. W. (Bill) Wei, Senior Conservation Scientist, Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE)
Panelists will include the speakers listed above plus:

JP Brown, Regenstein Conservator, The Field Museum, Chicago, Illinois
Peter Henson, Practice Consultant, and Tomasz Galikowski, Associate Acoustic Engineer, Bickerdike Allen Partners, London
Dr. Mohamed ElBatanouny, Senior Structural Engineer, Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Northbrook, Illinois
After the webinar, participants will be able to:

Describe current experiences of museums worldwide regarding the vibratory effects of musical events on their collections, as well as the precautions they are taking to protect against harmful effects.
Describe current experiences of museums worldwide regarding the vibratory effects of transport on their collections and the precautions they are taking to protect their materials from vibrations during transport.
Discuss the next steps that seem most constructive in order to develop practical guidelines for protecting collections during musical events, as well as for updating guidelines regarding transport.