Advancing access to the UCL Archaeological Reference Collections (A3RC)  

Organisation: University College London 
Principal investigator: Kevin MacDonald 

Project overview

The Institute of Archaeology (IoA) is a leading centre for archaeology, conservation and heritage science. The A3RC project aims to enhance access to the archaeobotanical, osteological and artefact collections. These collections and their archival material are a valuable resource to heritage science. However, access is currently limited due to inaccessible storage and limited study spaces.   

Project purpose

This project aims to enhance the infrastructure and maximise the research potential of A3RC by enhancing storage accessibility, providing new study spaces and incorporating state-of-the-art equipment. The project aims to develop a new website to host a catalogue of accessions for each collection. The project aims to serve a wide range of users across the archaeology, conservation and heritage scientific community.  

Project impacts

This project will result in improved storage, new study spaces, and enhanced accessibility for A3RC. This initiative will enable the IoA to continue delivering research excellence in heritage science, unlocking opportunities for new collaborations and cross-disciplinary research. This project will elevate research quality but also expand the broader value of these collections.