THE NATIONAL GALLERY

Their core work

The National Gallery in London is one of the world's foremost art museums, housing a collection of over 2,300 paintings spanning the 13th to 19th centuries. Within H2020, it contributes scientific expertise in heritage conservation, materials analysis, and the digitization of cultural collections. It serves as a living laboratory where art history meets analytical science — providing real-world case studies and collections access for research infrastructure projects focused on preserving and understanding European cultural heritage.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

The National Gallery's early H2020 involvement (2015–2017) centered on physical heritage science — joining IPERION CH for access to analytical instruments and conservation techniques, and CROSSCULT for digital engagement with collections. From 2019 onward, the focus shifted markedly toward research data infrastructure: SSHOC brought keywords like FAIR data, EOSC, open science, and ESFRI, while IPERION HS continued the heritage science thread but within a broader, more federated infrastructure vision. The trajectory shows a museum moving from being a passive beneficiary of scientific tools to an active participant in shaping how heritage research data is shared and governed across Europe.

Moving toward open research data governance and EOSC integration, making them a valuable partner for any project needing a major cultural institution committed to FAIR principles in the humanities.

How they like to work

The National Gallery never coordinates — it joins as a participant or third party in large, infrastructure-scale consortia. With 134 unique partners across 29 countries, it operates as a well-connected node rather than a project driver. This is typical of major cultural institutions: they bring irreplaceable collections, domain expertise, and institutional prestige, but rely on research organizations to lead the technical work.

Extensive pan-European network spanning 134 partners across 29 countries, built through large research infrastructure consortia. The breadth reflects the IPERION and SSHOC projects, which each involve dozens of heritage institutions, universities, and research centers across the continent.

What sets them apart

As one of the world's most recognized art museums, The National Gallery brings something no university lab can: direct access to a collection of masterworks spanning seven centuries, plus institutional credibility that strengthens any consortium's profile. Their dual engagement in both physical heritage science (IPERION) and digital research infrastructure (SSHOC) makes them unusually well-positioned at the intersection of conservation practice and open science policy. For consortium builders, they offer a rare combination of brand recognition, real-world test cases, and commitment to making heritage data openly accessible.

Highlights from their portfolio

• IPERION CH
  Their largest funded project (EUR 389K) — the pan-European integrated platform for heritage science research infrastructure, connecting major museums and conservation labs.
• SSHOC
  Marks their strategic pivot toward open science and FAIR data, contributing to the Social Sciences & Humanities Open Cloud alongside ESFRI research infrastructures.
• DyViTo
  An unusual MSCA training network on visual and tactile perception of materials — a fascinating crossover between neuroscience, materials science, and art appreciation.