Where Science Meets Art.

South Africa’s First Mobile Heritage Laboratory

About ART Lab

ART Lab is a non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing the scientific study, preservation, and understanding of cultural heritage across Southern Africa. Established to provide a sustainable institutional home for the Mobile Heritage Laboratory (MHL), ART Lab transforms an innovative doctoral research initiative developed at the University of Pretoria into a long-term regional resource for museums, galleries, archives, libraries, heritage institutions, and communities.

The Mobile Heritage Laboratory utilises portable, non-invasive and non-destructive analytical techniques that enable the in-situ examination of artworks, museum collections, archaeological materials, archival and library collections, and other heritage objects without the need for sampling or transportation to specialised laboratories. By bringing scientific analysis directly to collections, the laboratory increases access to heritage science while reducing many of the logistical and financial barriers faced by institutions throughout the region.

Through collaboration, knowledge exchange, and scientific investigation, ART Lab supports evidence-based conservation, collection management, and heritage research. Working alongside museum professionals, conservators, curators, collection managers, archivists, researchers, and students, the organisation promotes skills development and capacity building while fostering a stronger regional heritage science network.

By operating within a dedicated non-profit framework, ART Lab makes heritage science more accessible, equitable, and responsive to the needs of institutions across South Africa and the broader Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. Through this work, ART Lab contributes to the preservation, appreciation, and long-term safeguarding of Southern Africa's rich and diverse cultural heritage.

Operational Model

ART Lab operates as a collaborative partner, working directly alongside heritage professionals within host institutions. Rather than functioning as a traditional consultancy, it follows a capacity-building model that combines access to specialised heritage science equipment and expertise with skills development, knowledge exchange, and research training.

During Mobile Heritage Laboratory deployments, museum professionals, conservators, curators, collection managers, archivists, students, and other heritage practitioners actively participate in the analytical process. Through hands-on collaboration, mentoring, and training, participants develop practical skills in the application and interpretation of non-invasive and non-destructive analytical techniques. This approach strengthens institutional capacity, promotes shared ownership of research outcomes, and ensures that expertise remains within participating organisations.

ART Lab undertakes projects through formal partnerships with museums, galleries, universities, archives, heritage agencies, and cultural institutions. In collaboration with local staff, ART Lab will:

  • Conduct non-invasive and non-destructive analysis of heritage materials;

  • Investigate artists' materials and techniques;

  • Assess deterioration processes and conservation concerns;

  • Support collection documentation and management;

  • Develop material databases relevant to Southern African heritage;

  • Provide practical training and skills transfer opportunities;

  • Co-produce research outputs and publications.

By prioritising collaboration and skills transfer, ART Lab contributes to the development of a sustainable and self-reliant heritage science community across South Africa and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, while supporting the transformation and decolonisation of heritage research through locally driven knowledge production and expertise.

  • To establish a sustainable, accessible, and collaborative heritage science platform that empowers museums, heritage institutions, archives and libraries, galleries, and communities throughout Southern Africa to better understand, preserve, and manage their cultural heritage through scientific investigation and knowledge exchange.

  • ART Lab seeks to democratise access to heritage science by providing mobile analytical services, training opportunities, and collaborative research programmes that strengthen regional conservation capacity and support evidence-based heritage management.

  • Access to advanced scientific analysis remains limited throughout much of Southern Africa. Many museums and heritage institutions face significant barriers, including limited financial resources, a lack of specialised laboratory infrastructure, shortages of trained heritage scientists, and the risks associated with transporting culturally significant objects to distant analytical facilities.

    The Mobile Heritage Laboratory addresses these challenges by bringing analytical equipment directly to collections and heritage. Through ART Lab, the MHL will become a shared regional resource capable of supporting institutions that would otherwise have little or no access to scientific analysis.

    The establishment of ART Lab responds directly to the need for locally driven heritage research and conservation solutions. Rather than relying exclusively on international laboratories, the organisation will facilitate the generation of scientific knowledge within the region, by regional professionals.

Contact Us

While based in South Africa, ART Lab aims to support heritage institutions across the SADC region, including:

  • Botswana

  • Eswatini

  • Lesotho

  • Malawi

  • Mozambique

  • Namibia

  • Zambia

  • Zimbabwe

  • Angola

  • Tanzania

  • The Democratic Republic of Congo

Through strategic partnerships, ART Lab seeks to establish a network of collaborating institutions that can share knowledge, research findings, and best practices in heritage preservation for Southern Africa.

Capacity Building and Knowledge Exchange

A central objective of ART Lab is the development of heritage science capacity within Southern Africa. Each deployment of the Mobile Heritage Laboratory will include opportunities for professional development through workshops, demonstrations, mentoring, and collaborative research activities.

By working directly with local professionals, students, and researchers, ART Lab aims to cultivate a new generation of heritage practitioners equipped with the scientific skills necessary to support the preservation of the region's cultural heritage.

Research and Impact

ART Lab will support research that deepens understanding of Southern African artistic, archaeological, archival, and cultural heritage materials. It will contribute to regional materials databases, promote interdisciplinary collaboration, and encourage the publication and sharing of research findings through academic and public platforms. Its long-term impact will be measured not only by scientific outputs, but also by stronger institutional capacity, improved access to heritage science, better-informed conservation decisions, and the development of sustainable regional networks.