At first glance, a taxidermied tortoise, a portrait miniature, and a hanging scroll might seem to belong to different worlds. But at Yale’s Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage (IPCH), they are part of the same story. Each disparate object is expertly cared for and researched. 

Established in 2011, IPCH is home to state-of-the-art laboratory facilities where heritage scientists, in collaboration with conservators and curators, use advanced imaging and materials analysis to study objects from across Yale’s museums, libraries, and special collections. Their research reveals information hidden in pigments, paper, parchment, pottery, metals, fossils, binders, polymers, and other materials about how an object was made, how it will degrade or deteriorate over time, and how conservators can better support its longevity. 

“The breadth of Yale’s world-class collections provides incredible educational opportunities for students and groundbreaking avenues of inquiry for faculty members and scholars,” says Susan Gibbons, vice provost for collections and scholarly communication. “The thirty million objects in Yale’s collections make an essential contribution to the university’s mission to preserve and share knowledge. The work carried out at IPCH is critical not only to fulfilling this priority at Yale but also to advancing the field of heritage science globally.” 

Inspired Viewing 

Following a recent tour of IPCH ’s laboratories and collections spaces, Stewart Landefeld ’76 and his wife, Margaret Breen, were inspired to make a gift to support heritage science at Yale and expand training opportunities for emerging professionals in this specialized field. 

Landefeld’s own interest in cultural heritage traces back to his childhood, when he’d spend most Saturdays exploring exhibits at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Later, as a student at Yale, he visited the Yale University Art Gallery as often as he could. 

“We don’t yet have time machines, but it is a moving experience to observe older objects very closely, as each of us can do when we encounter well-conserved art or cultural heritage artifacts in museums,” Landefeld says. “The opportunities for engaging with artwork from Yale’s collections are tremendously exciting, whether you’re a student, a visiting scholar, or a member of the public. But that engagement is only possible because of the preservation work done at IPCH that keeps the artwork alive.”

A Community of Practice 

A portion of Landefeld and Breen’s gift will establish an endowed fund for research into artwork from the collections of the Yale University Art Gallery and the Yale Center for British Art. The other part of their gift will support a new fellowship position at IPCH, allowing an early-career heritage science professional to gain valuable hands-on experience in an unparalleled setting. 

“With support from Stewart and Margaret’s gift, we will be able to undertake a greater number of projects and dive deeper into the variety of research questions that emerge from the close study of Yale’s art museum collections,” says Alison Gilchrest, director of IPCH. “Scientific analysis of artworks is in high demand across Yale and in the museum field broadly. IPCH is thrilled to offer a fellowship that will facilitate new discoveries while also deepening Yale’s investment in the next generation of specialists.” 

According to Gilchrest, there are around 130 heritage scientists working in the United States today. Entry into the field is typically through postgraduate fellowships and internships at a small number of established labs. 

“IPCH has a reputation as a particularly strong center for training because of our resident expertise and the diversity of collections found across Yale’s museums and libraries, as well as our unique shared conservation facility where experts in different disciplines work side by side,” she says. “These adjacencies are constantly stimulating new questions, helping fellows to build relationships and acquire skills.” 

This close collaboration, she adds, is ideal for the objects, too. “Heritage scientists add a unique expertise in addition to curators, conservators, artists, and source communities for the best possible outcome: preservation of our shared human story for future generations.”