American Institute for Conservation and the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation

Two Organizations, One Purpose The American Institute for Conservation and the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation work together to promote the preservation and protection of cultural heritage. Partner with us to further that mission. Our History We have been working for more than 50 years to advance the preservation and conservation of cultural heritage. Incorporated in 1972 as the American offshoot of an international group of conservators, we have grown to almost 3,500 conservators, educators, scientists, students, archivists, art historians, collection care professionals, and institutions in more than 50 countries around the world, all of whom have the same goal: to preserve the material evidence of our past so we can learn from it today and appreciate it in the future. In 1973, we created FAIC, a 501(c)3 corporation, to serve as a charitable organization to support advancement in the field. We're using the AIC Wiki to expand on our history! If you have material for the AIC or FAIC history sections, please send them to Bonnie Naugle or Rebecca Rushfield. Our Mission Our mission is to save cultural heritage for future generations, protecting it from decay and destruction. We advance research and education, lead treatment and collection care initiatives, and deploy conservation expertise to where it is most urgently needed. Our work empowers conservation professionals, strengthens cultural institutions, and engages stakeholders, including public audiences, as we work together to protect cultural heritage for humanity.