This summer, the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands’ (RCE) mobile laboratory – “Lab on the Road” – visited the Netherlands Silver Museum in Schoonhoven, bringing with it extensive expertise and powerful specialist equipment, including the foster+freeman Crime-lite AUTO.

Based in the museum’s Knowledge Centre for 2 days of intensive material research, the technical capabilities of the RCE lab were utilised to examine objects from the National Glass Museum Leedram, Museum Gouda, and Streekmuseum Krimpenerwaad, alongside items from the host museum collection.

Visitors were able to observe for themselves as researchers utilised a range of equipment to analyse a variety of objects from the 4 galleries, including drawings, paintings, textiles, printed materials, and lacquered silver. Through material analysis, traces of object’s past lives were revealed, allowing the experts to determine whether the objects were really what they seemed.

“Lab on the Road” continues it’s tour with visits to Kolleksjesintrum in Leeuwarden in October and the Noordbrabants Museum in November. Learn more about the project here.