Preserving Collections, Anticipating Risks: An Internship at MAD Paris
As part of the Jaussen & Savignac Programme, led by Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and funded by The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), Master 1 students gain professional experience within heritage institutions.
From 25 May to 7 June 2026, Faisal Sawlan completed an internship at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs de Paris (MAD Paris), where he explored the challenges of preventive conservation and collections management alongside the museum’s teams.
One of the tasks he contributed to was the preparation of emergency evacuation sheets, developed as part of the Cultural Property Safeguarding Plan (Plan de Sauvegarde des Biens Culturels – PSBC). These tools bring together the information required to secure each object in the event of an emergency, including its location in storage, a photograph, handling instructions, and the number of people required to move it safely.
The internship also gave Faisal the opportunity to become familiar with textile collections handling, packing and preventive conservation practices. He participated in the reconditioning of carpets, from their unrolling and measurement to their installation in appropriate protective packaging, using materials such as Tyvek, which is widely used in preventive conservation.
Through these different activities, the internship provided him with a better understanding of the work carried out behind the scenes by conservation professionals: anticipating risks, documenting collections, adapting handling and packing methods, and contributing to their long-term protection.
This professional experience illustrates the importance of the practical training offered by the Master 1 Archaeology and Preventive Conservation – Jaussen & Savignac Programme, which combines theoretical teaching, technical skills and hands-on experience within heritage institutions.