site.btaCulture Ministry Takes Steps to Protect Ancient Exhibits at Getty Museum from LA Blaze

All necessary measures have been taken to protect the valuables in the exhibition "Ancient Thrace and the Classical World. Treasures from Bulgaria, Romania and Greece" in Los Angeles from the fires raging in the area, BTA learned from the Ministry of Culture on Wednesday. Most probably the collection, which is insured, will be moved to a vault until the disaster is contained.

The museum management has assured the Bulgarian Culture Ministry that all measures have been taken to ensure the safety of the exhibits. The museum galleries and library archives have been isolated from smoke by a state-of-the-art air handling system. The double-walled construction of the galleries also provides significant protection to the collections. At present, there is no immediate threat to the building stock and exhibits, the Ministry said.

Minister of Culture Nayden Todorov has written a letter to the management of the museum requesting that the exhibits from Bulgaria, including the Panagyurishte gold treasure, be put in a safe place.

The exhibition, which explores the cultural relations between the Thracians and their neighbours over two millennia, opened at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles in early November last year. The exhibit, which will run through March 3, 2025, includes more than 200 objects, including artfully crafted metalwork in gold, silver and bronze, ceramics, inscriptions, stone reliefs and other artwork showing Thrace and its connections to other ancient cultures in the Mediterranean and beyond.