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CORDIS Express: Research for protecting and sharing our cultural heritage

This week’s CORDIS Express takes a look at research efforts that are helping to better preserve, protect and share European heritage and art.

Europe’s museums, galleries and other art and heritage banks store a wealth of precious treasures. Our archaeological heritage, embedded throughout the European landscape, is a rich source of inspiration and information, revealing much about the civilisations that went before us. However our precious ancient art, artefacts and archaeological sites need to be protected and expertly documented, restored, conserved and displayed if we are to hand them on to future generations. They are under threat from an array of factors: from unfavourable climactic conditions and major planning schemes to natural risks and outdated data management and exchange. From advanced lighting solutions and methods for atmospheric control to nano-based materials for conservation, the cutting edge research of today can help us to protect and preserve the riches of yesterday. Open access data, open source software and user-centred design also open up the possibilities for institutes to improve the documentation and sharing of their vast stores of historical and cultural items. Meanwhile IT advances in areas like wearable technologies and virtual reality allow users to experience artwork and past worlds in a whole new way. Vibrant cultural identities and knowledge of the past inspire creativity and innovation. Mindful of this, the Horizon 2020 programme aims for EU research and innovation to address the issues of memories, identities, tolerance and cultural heritage. As such, one of the key research and innovation actions for 2014 and 2015 will focus on reflective societies: transmission of European cultural heritage, uses of the past, 3D modelling for accessing EU cultural assets. Calls under Reflective societies are now open. This week’s CORDIS Express takes a look at the EU-funded research efforts that are helping to better preserve, protect and share European heritage and art. - Lighting solution that protects Sistine Chapel paintings - An open source tool to share data from Europe’s libraries and museums - Nano-powered boost for stone conservation - Virtual Museum Transnational Network - European Museums and Libraries in/of the Age of Migrations - Material Encounters with Digital Cultural Heritage

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