Nepal Earthquake Joint Mission

After an earthquake struck near the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal in April 2015, killing more than 9,000 people and injuring more than 23,000 while leaving hundreds of thousands homeless, the Smithsonian, in partnership with the Nepal Department of Archaeology, the International Council of Museums (ICOM), the International Centre for the Study of Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM), and the International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), helped assemble a team of professionals that responded to the disaster and assisted in the recovery efforts by salvaging and rehousing vital collections.

Together, they conducted a coordinated damage assessment followed by on-site training for emergency documentation, salvage, stabilization, and storage of collections and built heritage. The team worked with all members of the community, including staff of the Department of Archaeology, the Nepalese Army and Police, engineers and craftsmen, young volunteers, and aid workers.