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IPERION CH · Project

Pan-European Diagnostic Lab Network for Art Conservation and Heritage Protection

otherTestedTRL 5Thin data (2/5)
iperionch.eu

Imagine you own a precious old painting and need to figure out what it's made of, how it's deteriorating, and how to fix it — without damaging it. This project connected 29 labs across 13 countries so that museums, restorers, and conservators can access the best scientific instruments in Europe through three complementary platforms: mobile labs that come to you, fixed labs you can visit, and archives of past analyses. It's like having a Europe-wide hospital network, but for artworks and monuments instead of people.

By the numbers
29
partner institutions in the network
13
countries covered across Europe and the US
3
complementary access platforms (ARCHLAB, FIXLAB, MOLAB)
4th
generation in a line of successful EU infrastructure projects
2
digital research resources made available for open access
13
total deliverables produced
The business problem

What needed solving

Museums, conservation studios, and heritage professionals often lack access to the expensive, specialized scientific instruments needed to properly analyze and diagnose artworks and monuments before restoration. Individual organizations cannot afford to maintain the full range of analytical equipment, and results from different labs are difficult to compare or integrate into a unified conservation workflow.

The solution

What was built

The project built a coordinated access system across three platforms: MOLAB (mobile laboratories), FIXLAB (fixed laboratories), and ARCHLAB (heritage science archives). It delivered pilot demonstrations for both mobile and fixed lab platforms, a prototype system for integrating documentation and analytical data for individual objects, and two open-access digital research resources.

Audience

Who needs this

Art conservation and restoration studios needing non-destructive material analysisMuseums with large collections requiring scientific condition assessmentHeritage site managers planning conservation interventions on monumentsInsurance companies needing authentication and condition reports for high-value artworksInstrument manufacturers seeking validated heritage science use cases
Business applications

Who can put this to work

Art Conservation & Restoration
SME
Target: Conservation studios and restoration firms

If you are a conservation company struggling to get accurate material analysis on artworks before restoration — this project built three integrated access platforms (MOLAB, FIXLAB, ARCHLAB) across 29 partner institutions in 13 countries that provide advanced non-destructive diagnostic techniques. Instead of buying expensive equipment yourself, you can access world-class instruments through a single coordinated entry point.

Museums & Cultural Institutions
any
Target: National and regional museums with conservation departments

If you are a museum dealing with deteriorating collections and limited in-house scientific capacity — this project developed prototype tools for integrating documentation and analytical data generated for a single object. The 29-partner network gives your conservation team access to mobile laboratories that can come on-site, plus digital resources for sharing and storing heritage science data.

Heritage Technology & Instrumentation
SME
Target: Companies developing sensors, imaging, or analytical instruments

If you are a technology company developing diagnostic instruments and looking for validated use cases in heritage science — this project ran pilot actions demonstrating documentation and presentation of results from both mobile and fixed laboratory platforms. The consortium of 29 partners across 13 countries represents a ready-made testing and adoption network for new analytical tools.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to access these diagnostic services?

The project data does not include specific pricing for access services. As a publicly funded research infrastructure (RIA), trans-national access was offered free of charge during the project period. Post-project, access terms would depend on the individual institutions in the 29-partner network.

Can these services scale to handle commercial volumes of analysis requests?

The infrastructure spans 29 partners across 13 countries with three complementary platforms (ARCHLAB, FIXLAB, MOLAB). This distributed model is inherently scalable since capacity grows with each participating institution. The project was the fourth iteration in a line of successful infrastructure projects, suggesting a mature operational model.

What about intellectual property and licensing for the diagnostic methods?

Based on available project data, the project focused on research infrastructure access rather than developing proprietary technology. Two digital research resources were made available for open access on the web. IP for specific diagnostic techniques would remain with the individual research institutions in the consortium.

Is this infrastructure still operational after the project ended in 2019?

The project explicitly worked toward inclusion in the ESFRI Roadmap and constitution of a permanent research infrastructure with its own EU legal entity (such as an ERIC). This suggests a clear sustainability plan beyond the project's end. The successor infrastructure E-RIHS has since been established.

How does this integrate with existing museum conservation workflows?

The project developed prototype designs for integrating various types of documentation and analytical data generated for a single object. This means conservation professionals can get a unified view of all scientific analyses performed on an artwork, rather than juggling separate reports from different labs.

What data standards and sharing tools were developed?

The project created two digital research resources available for open access on the web and one working resource for internal collaborative use. Joint activities with DARIAH ERIC focused specifically on tools for storing and sharing scientific cultural heritage data, addressing interoperability across the 29 partner facilities.

Consortium

Who built it

This is a research-heavy consortium with 16 research organizations and 6 universities out of 29 total partners across 13 countries, coordinated by Italy's National Research Council (CNR). Industry presence is minimal — just 1 industrial partner (3% ratio) and zero SMEs. For a business looking to engage, this means the network excels at scientific capability and geographic coverage but lacks direct commercial channels. The value for companies lies in accessing the distributed lab infrastructure rather than partnering on product development. The US participation adds transatlantic reach beyond Europe.

How to reach the team

The coordinator is Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) in Italy. SciTransfer can facilitate a direct introduction to the project team.

Order a report on this consortiumSee CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE profile →
Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to access Europe's leading heritage science labs or integrate advanced diagnostics into your conservation services? Contact SciTransfer for a tailored introduction to the right partner in the IPERION CH network.

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