Saxony-Anhalt museums roll out emergency boxes as 'first-aid kits' for cultural assets
Cultural institutions in the German state are equipping themselves with standardised emergency sets after a survey found that 35 percent had suffered collection damage in the past decade.
The first-aid approach
Museums, libraries and archives in Saxony-Anhalt are increasingly relying on emergency boxes modelled on first-aid kits. The head of the state's preservation advisory centre, Marc Holly, compares the principle to a medical emergency case: basic materials that can contain damage immediately before specialised help arrives. The sets include cover foils that cost only a few euros and can be thrown over shelves or display cases to protect books, archival material or exhibits from incoming water.
The basic idea is comparable to a first-aid kit: the sets contain basic materials with which damage can be immediately contained before specialised help arrives.
According to the advisory centre, 23 percent of museums in Saxony-Anhalt are currently equipped with emergency or initial-care materials.
A growing network
Five emergency alliances already exist in Magdeburg, Halle, the Harz district, Merseburg and Stendal, with further groups being prepared. The networks allow institutions to jointly procure larger quantities of specialist materials, reducing costs and improving the ability to respond. In Halle and Magdeburg, the materials are stored in containers at the fire brigade so they can be taken quickly to the scene.
Between 2022 and 2024 the advisory centre distributed 13 emergency sets to facilities across the state. The purchases were funded by state money and accompanied by training to prepare staff for emergencies. The centre also keeps its own stock that museums, libraries or archives can request at short notice.
At least two incidents are known where the material has already been used.
Damages underline need
The scale of the problem is shown by a 2024 survey from the Saxony-Anhalt museum association: roughly 35 percent of museums reported damage to their holdings over the preceding ten years, caused by fire, burst water pipes or break-ins. The cost of a complete emergency set varies between a few hundred euros and around 4,000 euros, depending on the size of the collection and the specialisation of the materials.
A model project: Händel-Haus
The Händel-Haus Foundation is planning a first-time standardised fit-out for all five of its buildings. The foundation's librarian, Jens Wehmann, says the total cost is 5,680 euros, of which 5,112 euros are covered by a grant and 568 euros from the foundation's own funds. Each building will receive a set of four boxes containing rescue tools, personal protective equipment, materials for absorbing liquids, protective packaging, cleaning supplies and documentation tools for damaged cultural objects.
With support from a grant, standardised emergency boxes are to be purchased for all five buildings of the foundation for the first time. The total cost is 5,680 euros, of which 5,112 euros are funded, and 568 euros are borne by the foundation itself.
Limited rollout, risk analysis
A blanket distribution of emergency boxes across Saxony-Anhalt is not currently planned. Instead the advisory centre is pursuing a state-wide risk analysis to identify weak points in museums and collections before deciding where to deploy resources.
