As the UK’s National Node of E-RIHS, RICHeS IHQ serves as a the key link between the UK and Europe, facilitating access to cutting-edge research infrastructure, fostering collaborative research opportunities and providing comprehensive training programmes through the E-RIHS HS Academy.
RICHeS IHQ brings together a consortium of UK Access Providers each offering access to expertise and state-of-the-art conservation and heritage science facilities. These partnerships strengthen the UK’s position within the E-RIHS ERIC and contribute to core goals including:
- Enabling new research opportunities in conservation and heritage science
- Enhancing transnational access to research infrastructure across the UK and Europe
- Contributing to the global effort to safeguard and better understand cultural heritage for future generations
The role of the UK National Node
As the UK National Node, RICHeS IHQ plays a central role in supporting and advancing conservation and heritage science both nationally and internationally. Its key responsibilities include:
- Contributing UK facilities and expertise to the central E-RIHS Catalogue of Services, ensuring that UK resources are accessible to the global research community
- Coordinating and promoting E-RIHS activities across the UK, connecting UK researchers with European and international collaborators
- Representing the UK’s heritage science community within the Committee of National Nodes and other E-RIHS initiatives, ensuring the UK’s contributions shape the wider E-RIHS strategy
UK Access Providers
The UK benefits from a strong network of Access Providers that offer facilities, collections, data and scientific expertise to E-RIHS. Together they form the operational backbone of the UK National Node:
- British Museum
- Historic England
- Nottingham Trent University
- The National Gallery
- University College London
- University of York
Collectively, these Access Providers offer an exceptional range of heritage-science capabilities from advanced imaging and materials analysis, to access to reference collections, scientific archives and digital resources.
What the UK Access Providers offer
The UK Access Providers contribute services across the E-RIHS platforms which may include:
- ARCHLAB: Curated scientific archives, reference collections, datasets, and sample libraries held by major UK heritage institutions.
- FIXLAB: Large-scale, fixed (non‑mobile) research facilities, specialised instruments and advanced analytical services for diagnostics, material characterisation and conservation studies.
- MOLAB: Portable, non‑invasive analytical instrumentation for in-situ examination of artworks, built heritage, archaeological materials and museum objects that cannot be moved.
- DIGILAB: Digital tools, data services, computational resources, and digital heritage collections that support research, visualisation, modelling, and interpretation.
Each Access Provider contributes a unique set of capabilities, enabling researchers to engage with high-value cultural heritage materials in diverse and meaningful ways.
Accesses services
Information about the specific services, equipment, datasets and collections offered by the UK Access Providers is available in the ERIHS Catalogue of Services, which includes:
- Detailed descriptions of available facilities and instruments
- Associated expertise and scientific support
- Location and Access Provider information
- Digital and physical collections accessible for research
This catalogue helps users explore European capabilities in depth and identify which institutions are best suited to their research needs.
Contact
For more information about E-RIHS.uk, please email e-rihs.uk@ahrc.ukri.org with the subject line “RICHeS UK National Node enquiry”