Risk & Resilience

Heritage collections face threats that are environmental, physical, institutional and human. Some risks are acute — fire, flood, earthquake, theft. Others are slow and systemic — funding withdrawal, organisational change, infrastructure deterioration. Both categories are capable of causing irreversible loss.

Endangered Heritage works with institutions to identify, assess and mitigate the full spectrum of risks to their collections. Our risk assessments are grounded in conservation science and informed by an understanding of institutional realities. We do not produce generic risk matrices. We produce actionable strategies that institutions can implement within their operational and budget constraints.

Risk assessment for heritage collections requires understanding both the asset and the context in which it is held. We assess physical vulnerabilities, environmental conditions, security arrangements, institutional dependencies and governance structures — then model the likely consequences of identified threats.

Our risk mitigation strategies are practical. We prioritise recommendations by consequence and likelihood, identify no-cost and low-cost interventions, and ensure that emergency response plans are achievable with the staffing and resources available. Where collections face imminent risk, we are able to provide immediate advisory support.