Preserving the past and shaping the future
The Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage is the federal scientific institution that documents, studies and preserves Belgium's cultural and artistic heritage.
Our services
Public institutions, but also owners of private collections in Belgium and abroad, can apply to our institution for the conservation, study and documentation of works of art and other heritage objects. You can contact us for:
- Conservation of art works
- Scientific analysis methods and dating techniques
- Photography and scientific imaging
- Art historical research
We share our knowledge and expertise
One of the core tasks of the Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage is collecting, archiving and disseminating the scientific research data from all disciplines covered by our experts. We also play a pioneering role in the field of Open Data in the arts and heritage sector. We want to share our knowledge and expertise with the heritage sector and the general public as much as possible.
The restauration of the Ghent Altarpiece
The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb (1432), created by the Van Eyck brothers and kept at Saint Bavo’s Cathedral (Ghent), is considered one of the most important masterpieces of Western European painting.
Since 2012, the painting has undergone research and restoration by the Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage (KIK-IRPA). The project is now in its third and final phase: the treatment of the upper panels of the interior of the polyptych (2023-2026).
News from the Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage
Colour4CRAFTS brings international textile expertise together at KIK-IRPA
In December, the KIK-IRPA Textiles Lab had the pleasure of hosting the consortium meeting of the Colour4CRAFTS project.
Safe cleaning strategies for the gilded surfaces of the Ghent Altarpiece
On 30-31 October 2025, the Art Salinity and Acidity Project (ASAP), the Materials Science for Conservation Research (MatCoRe) unit – jointly supported by KIK-IRPA and the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) – and the Ghent Altarpiece conservation-restoration team came together for a unique two-day collaboration focused on the gilded areas of the paintings.