The Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage (IPCH) is Yale’s hub for art, science, and human connection. We work across Yale’s collections and around the world to preserve our shared human story.
Discover our work
IPCH is the only university-based research institute in the US that supports the integration of expertise across the arts, sciences, and humanities for the study and preservation of cultural artifacts.
Explore what we do
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Cross-Collection Initiatives
Our work identifies connections and possibilities across Yale’s collections. Discover key initiatives that involve collaboration across departments.
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Heritage Science Labs
This lab focuses on scientific analysis to preserve objects of cultural heritage. Their research and expertise allows for a deeper understanding of materials and processes.
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International Programs
IPCH is committed to strengthening the preservation of cultural heritage on a global scale. Learn more about the Yale Directors Forum fellowship program in Africa.
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Lens Media Lab
Renowned for its work in the history of photography, the Lens Media Lab leads efforts to understand and preserve photographic papers produced throughout the 20th Century.
News from across the Institute
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Precision restoration: 3D imaging helps recreate artwork’s missing knob
A painting mounted on a hanging scroll, was set to go on view at the Yale University Art Gallery, but had a missing piece.
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Yale Hosts a Global Gathering for Cultural Heritage Leaders in Côte d’Ivoire
IPCH convened leaders from across Africa and the world for its second annual global symposium.
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A Legacy in Light: Yale’s Lens Media Lab to Close After a Decade of Discovery
Paul Messier, Director of the Lens Media Lab at Yale’s IPCH, announced that the lab will cease operations effective June 30, 2025.
Highlights from recent events
Preserving Cultural Heritage: Global Strategies and Perspectives
The International Progrema team hosted a series of talks across Yale’s campus with global leaders in cultural heritage. Guest speakers engaged with Yale students, faculty, and staff to offer insights, build networks, and foster dialogue on shared challenges and bold new strategies in cultural heritage preservation.
Ongoing collaborations at Yale and abroad
IPCH and the Yale Center for British Art welcomed Alissandra Cummins, Director of the Barbados Museum and Historical Society to Yale, after embarking on a collaborative project in Barbados earlier in 2025.
Making connections across institutions
A group of conservation and curatorial fellows from Harvard joined Yale’s cohort of conservation trainees for a tour of Yale’s Collection Studies Center.
36 Years: Fred Weichel’s exoneration at the intersection of art, law, and justice
The Lens Media Lab hosted Fred Weichel, who spent 36 years wrongfully imprisoned, and a panel of experts to discuss the intersection of forensic analysis, legal advocacy, and justice leading to Weichel’s exoneration.
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