Archie Graf, representing the Harwell Heritage Network (HHN) shares insights into the network’s mission to connect heritage professionals with world-leading scientific infrastructure at Harwell Campus
Science and technology is constantly evolving and Heritage Science is no exception. Today’s laboratories are more advanced than ever, equipped with powerful spectrometers and increasingly accessible analytical tools. As instrumentation improves, so too do the ambitions of researchers, who are now able to pursue more complex and challenging questions than ever before.
Bringing conservation and heritage science to the forefront at Harwell Campus
Advanced characterisation techniques hold enormous potential for heritage research however, they often remain out of reach for many laboratories. Barriers like the cost and scale of equipment, the need for highly trained specialists, and restricted access can make these tools feel inaccessible. That is where the UK’s National Research Facilities (NRFs) and research campuses step in, providing open access to world class infrastructure.
One standout example is Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire, just a 30-minute drive from Oxford. As the UK’s largest science and innovation campus, and one of the most significant globally, Harwell is home to major research facilities including:
- Diamond Light Source (DLS), the UK’s National synchrotron facility
- ISIS Neutron and Muon Source,
- Central Laser Facility,
- HarwellXPS, the UK’s NRF for Photoelectron Spectroscopy,
- Research Complex at Harwell is a multidisciplinary laboratory offering state-of-the-art equipment in physical and life sciences,
- Manchester at Harwell, a major academic partnership initiative, among others.
With so much cutting-edge capability on offer, it is understandable that many outside the tradition STEM fields might feel overwhelmed. The complexity of the technology and techniques can seem overwhelming and as a result some heritage science professionals may hesitate to engaging with these techniques and powerful tools
To help overcome this barrier, the Harwell Heritage Network (HHN) was launched in 2024 by Dr. Antonella Scherillo and Dr. Arthur Graf (Archie). The network was created to build bridges between the heritage sector and Harwell’s advanced research ecosystem. The HHN has five key aims:
- Build a community passionate about Heritage Science at Harwell.
- Map and facilitate access to Harwell’s capabilities for heritage researchers.
- Promote training and events focused on advanced characterisation.
- Support and guide users through complex techniques.
- Celebrate and champion the diversity of Heritage Science, it englobes fields from Chemistry, engineer, physics to history, sociology, and much more.
Soon after its creation, HHN partnered with RICHeS and both initiatives are dedicated to supporting the UK’s conservation and heritage science infrastructure. In 2024, the HHN hosted the first Spectroscopy for Heritage meeting which received such positive feedback that the HHN are excited to present its second meeting in May 2025. These meetings aim to foster dialogue, showcase available techniques, and explore real-world conservation and heritage challenges.
Harwell’s infrastructure enables researchers to investigate materials across all scales, from the nanometre to the macroscopic. Some recent highlights include:
- Non-invasive analysis of the Herculaneum scrolls, revealing hidden texts without unrolling them
- Neutron diffraction of historical armour, detecting microstrain from past impacts that are invisible to the eye.
- Surface chemistry studies on ageing paintings, offering insights to conservators working to slow degradation processes.
Whether you are based in a museum, archive, university, or laboratory the HHN is here to support you. If you have a scientific question related to heritage materials or are curious about how advanced techniques could benefit your work, we encourage you to get in touch at harwellheritagenetwork@cf.onmicrosoft.com
We are open, collaborative, and committed to empowering the heritage science community—one discovery at a time.