Synchrotron Radiation in Art and Archaeology

Dates: 30 August – 2 September 2027 (tbc)

Location: DESY Campus

In 2027, Hamburg will host the 11th edition of SR2A (Synchrotron Radiation in Art and Archaeology), the premier international conference where cutting-edge analytical techniques meet cultural heritage research. Co-organised by the Centre for the Study of Manuscript Cultures (CSMC) at the University of Hamburg and DESY, one of the world’s leading synchrotron facilities, the conference will bring together scientists, conservators, curators, art historians, and archaeologists to advance non-destructive investigation of heritage materials.

Hamburg offers a unique convergence of expertise for this gathering. DESY provides specialised beamline capabilities for X-ray diffraction, scattering, and advanced imaging, while the CSMC – home to the Cluster of Excellence 'Understanding Written Artefacts' – contributes deep interdisciplinary knowledge of handwritten documents across areas and epochs, supported by an extensive network of museums, libraries, and archives. The city’s numerous cultural institutions hold diverse collections that present both methodological challenges and research opportunities, creating an ideal setting for exchange between analytical specialists and heritage professionals.

The programme will explore five thematic axes: technical advances in methodology, ethics and dosimetry, materials and manufacturing processes, conservation science and monitoring, and data pipelines following FAIR principles. A practical track, 'From Object to Beamtime', will clarify access routes and measurement strategies, making synchrotron analysis more accessible for institutions with limited infrastructure. Bringing together experts from multiple domains, the conference aims to enhance our understanding of object-appropriate handling, transparent risk assessment, and reproducible evaluation, and yield better strategies for answering novel research questions.

More information will be online shortly.