Guide to the J. Paul Getty Museum, Registrar's Office, Registrar Correspondence, 1973-1975
Finding aid prepared by Sue Luftschein
Descriptive Summary
Title: Registrar correspondence
Date (inclusive): 1973-1975
Number: IA20003
Creator/Collector:
J. Paul Getty Museum. Registrar's Office
Physical Description:
0.63 linear feet
(2 boxes)
Repository:
The Getty Research Institute
Institutional Records and Archives
1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 1100
Los Angeles, California, 90049-1688
(310) 440-7390
archives@getty.edu
Abstract: The records comprise internal and external correspondence from Pamela Wiget, Registrar of the J. Paul Getty Museum from 1973-1975.
The external correspondence contains information on day-to-day administrative activities; the internal correspondence consists
of both letters and memoranda addressed primarily to Stephen Garrett, Museum Director, and details day-to-day internal administrative
activities.
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general library access policy . See the Administrative Information section of this finding aid for access restrictions specific to the records described
below. Please note, some of the records may be stored off site; advanced notice is required for access to these materials.
Language: Collection material is in
English
Administrative History
The J. Paul Getty Museum was established as a charitable trust in 1953 by billionaire J. Paul Getty in order to house his
growing art collections. Getty had been collecting art since the 1930s. The J. Paul Getty Museum originally opened in 1954,
with relatively little publicity, in two rooms of Mr. Getty's Ranch House in the Pacific Palisades near Malibu, California.
By August 1955 the museum in the Ranch House had six gallery areas. In 1956 Mr. Getty began planning a new antiquities gallery,
which was completed and opened to the public in mid-December 1957. Each year the number of museum visitors increased, and
though Mr. Getty curtailed his art acquisitions activities beginning in 1958, the museum continued to grow.
In the fall of 1968, after considering various options for expanding the Ranch House, Getty decided to build a separate museum
facility on the same property. This new museum was designed in the form of a first-century Roman country house, based primarily
on the plans of the ancient Villa dei Papiri just outside of Herculaneum, Italy. The new museum facility opened to the public
on January 16, 1974. Although Getty retained the title of Museum Director over the years, he never left his home in England
to visit the new museum building, effectively making the Museum Curator or Deputy Director the on-site director. Getty monitored
every expense and purchase made by the museum, and staff regularly traveled to Sutton Place, his home outside London, to consult
with him on museum matters.
The Registrar's Office is the place of record for documentation related to art objects in the museum's care. The registrar
oversees the receipt, inspection, accession, documentation, and cataloging of objects acquired for collections and/or exhibitions
and negotiates the insurance of that object. The registrar maintains object files that document when and how an object is
acquired, transported, stored, exhibited, or deaccessioned and handles all related contracts. Pamela Wiget was Registrar of
the J. Paul Getty Museum from 1973-1975; she left the Museum in April 1975.
Administrative Information
Restrictions on Access
The records in accession 1986.IA.45 are closed to all except the department that created them, the General Counsel, the director
of the originating program or division, or their designees until 2010.
The following types of records are permanently closed: records containing personal information, records that compromise security
or operations, legal communications, legal work product, and records related to donors. The J. Paul Getty Trust reserves the
right to restrict access to any records held by the Institutional Archives.
Publication Rights
Preferred Citation
[Cite the item and series (as appropriate)], Correspondence, 1973-1975, Registrar, J. Paul Getty Museum. Institutional Archives,
Research Library, Getty Research Institute, Finding aid no. IA20003.
Acquisition Information
The material was originally part of accession no. 1986.IA.01 but was assigned no. 1986.IA.45 in January 2006 for purposes
of providing better administrative control.
Processing History
Initial inventory created by intern post-2003; records were processed and finding aid was created by Sue Luftschein, April
21, 2005.
Scope and Content of Collection
The records comprise internal and external correspondence from Pamela Wiget, Registrar of the J. Paul Getty Museum from 1973-1975
(although from January to April 1973 she signs correspondence with the title of ‘Secretary’). The external correspondence
contains information on day-to-day administrative activities addressed to J. Paul Getty in England, inquiries regarding book
and photograph purchases, museum acquisitions, outstanding invoices, and loans of artworks. The internal correspondence consists
of both letters and memoranda addressed primarily to Stephen Garrett, Museum Director, and details day-to-day internal administrative
activities, including staff salaries and benefits, supply purchases, business procedures, and facilities management. Also
included are copies of memos concerning purchases of artworks to curators and other museum staff, with copies to Stephen Garrett.
Arrangement
The papers are organized in two series:
Series I. External correspondence, January 1973-April 1975;
Series II. Internal correspondence, July 1973-April 1975.
Indexing Terms
Subjects - Names
Getty, J. Paul (Jean Paul), 1892-1976
Subjects - Corporate Bodies
J. Paul Getty Museum
Subjects - Topics
Art museums--Employees
Art museums--Management
Museum registrars
Genres and Forms of Material
Correspondence
Memorandums
Contributors
Garrett, Stephen, 1922-
Wiget, Pamela
Container List
Series I.
External correspondence,
January 1973-April 1975
Physical Description:
0.42 linear feet
1 box
Scope and Content Note
Records consist of correspondence and memoranda, 1973-1975, of Pamela Wiget, Registrar of the J. Paul Getty Museum. The external
correspondence contains information on day-to-day administrative activities of the museum of the J. Paul Getty Trust, such
as museum attendance addressed to J. Paul Getty in England, inquiries regarding book and photograph purchases, museum acquisitions,
outstanding invoices, and loans of artworks.
Arrangement
These records are arranged within each folder in reverse chronological order.
Box 1986.IA.45-1, Folder 1
Box 1986.IA.45-1, Folder 2
Box 1986.IA.45-1, Folder 3
Box 1986.IA.45-1, Folder 4
Box 1986.IA.45-1, Folder 5
Box 1986.IA.45-1, Folder 6
Box 1986.IA.45-1, Folder 7
Box 1986.IA.45-1, Folder 8
Box 1986.IA.45-1, Folder 9
Box 1986.IA.45-1, Folder 10
Box 1986.IA.45-1, Folder 11
Box 1986.IA.45-1, Folder 12
Box 1986.IA.45-1, Folder 13
Box 1986.IA.45-1, Folder 14
Box 1986.IA.45-1, Folder 15
Box 1986.IA.45-1, Folder 16
Box 1986.IA.45-1, Folder 17
Series II.
Internal correspondence,
July 1973-April 1975
Physical Description:
0.21 linear feet
1 box
Scope and Content Note
Records consist of internal memos and other correspondence, 1973-1975, of Pamela Wiget, Registrar of the J. Paul Getty Museum,
regarding day-to-day administrative activities, to Getty staff, primarily Stephen Garrett, Museum Director. Although the dates
of the folders overlap, the material does not appear to be duplicated.
Arrangement
These records are arranged in reverse chronological order within each folder. There are 2 sets of chronological correspondence.
Box 1986.IA.45-2, Folder 1
Box 1986.IA.45-2, Folder 2
November 1973-January 1974
Box 1986.IA.45-2, Folder 3
Box 1986.IA.45-2, Folder 4
Box 1986.IA.45-2, Folder 5
Box 1986.IA.45-2, Folder 6
Box 1986.IA.45-2, Folder 7
Box 1986.IA.45-2, Folder 8
