About the Conference Series
The ChemCH conferences have been organised biannually since 2010, initiated by the EuChemS Working Party on Chemistry for Cultural Heritage. With the overarching theme of Chemistry for Cultural Heritage, the conferences promote chemical sciences in the field of understanding, conservation and use of cultural heritage, which includes all typologies of heritage: objects, buildings, landscapes etc. The main objective is to understand the materiality of cultural heritage, its environment and use. Advances in research methodologies, instrumentation and contemporary computational approaches have significantly improved our ability to understand the properties and composition of heritage and archaeological materials, how they respond to their environment or treatments, and how they change with time. Equally important is the interpretation and visualisation of data using data-intensive approaches and AI. Chemistry for Cultural Heritage promotes highly interdisciplinary research informed and guided by the needs of the heritage sector.
Join us for the 8th conference in this series, from 8 to 11 June, 2026, in the beautiful town of Bled, Slovenia.
The conference language is English.
The conference is organised under the patronage of the UNESCO National Commission.
Plenary Speakers
Tracing Ancient Plant Use through Archaeo-Metabolomics: Molecular Insights into Aromatic and Medicinal Practices
Dr Barbara Huber, ChemCH Early-Stage Scientist Awardee 2026
Institute of Archaeological Science, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
Dr Barbara Huber has established herself as a pioneering voice in the field of chemistry for cultural heritage by systematizing the biomolecular archaeology of scent and smell. Her academic foundation, which combines Near Eastern Archaeology with natural materials chemistry, culminated in a doctoral degree from the University of Tübingen in 2024. Dr. Huber’s scientific contributions are characterized by the independent development of advanced chromatographic methods which have allowed for the detection of degraded volatile biomolecules to an unprecedented extent.
2D, 3D and 4D Imaging of Chemical Transformations Taking Place in Heritage Materials
Prof Dr Koen Janssens, ChemCH Distinguished Scientist Awardee 2026
University of Antwerp, Belgium
Professor Koen Janssens is a globally recognized leader in the field of cultural heritage and has had a decisive impact on shaping the discipline of heritage science. His career has been defined by the development of non-destructive analytical methods that allow scientists to “see” through layers of paint without touching the object. By visualizing chemical and crystaline information across entire artworks, conservators can make more informed assessments of an object’s condition, materials, and manufacturing processes, directly influencing conservation strategies and treatment decisions.
Messages from the Other Side… Chemical Analyses and their Integration in Archaeological Studies in Central and SE Europe
Assoc Prof Dr Matija Črešnar
University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Assoc Prof Dr Matija Črešnar leads the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Archaeology (CIRA) at the Department of Archaeology of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. He is an elected corresponding member of the German Archaeological Institute (DAI) and Nomination Committee member of the European Association of Archaeologists (EAA). His research and publications range from landscape archaeology to scientific analyses of archaeological finds. He curated several popular science exhibitions and publications and is also a co‐founder of a certified Cultural Route of the Council of Europe: the Iron Age Danube Route.
Special Collection Announcement
Consider publishing your work as part of a Special Collection devoted to the ChemCH 2026 conference, of the leading Springer Nature journal npj Heritage Science.
Conference Topics
Presentations of research on the following topics are invited:
1. Advanced analytical techniques in cultural heritage
2. High-resolution imaging and mapping
3. Understanding materials: characterization, production, degradation, and conservation
4. Green materials for sustainable conservation
5. Data Science, machine learning, AI, and visualisation
6. Fusion of multimodal data from different techniques for holistic interpretation
7. Digital twins for monitoring and predictive modelling
8. Life cycle assessment of conservation materials and processes
9. Interdisciplinary case studies
Special Session Dedicated to E-RIHS
The session will present highlights of methodological development and research service provision in the frame of the European Research Infrastructure for Heritage Science (E-RIHS) and will be introduced by the Director General, Dr Vania Virgili, in a special invited address.
Important Dates
1 May2026: Early Bird payment deadline
8 June 2026: Conference start
8 June 2026 - 8 June 2027: Special Collection submission window
Organised by
Supported by
Sponsored by
We are delighted to announce two Main Sponsors of the conference: Clyde Hyperspectral Imaging and Technology Ltd. and Analysis Adria d.o.o.
Our Main sponsors will be delivering conference workshops – please consider registering.
Further two workshops are going to be offered by Verus Digital and Aparatura d.o.o./Optik Instruments d.o.o., jointly presenting Bruker technologies – please consider registering.
Further support is kindly offered by the companies Chemass d.o.o., Labtim laboratorijska oprema d.o.o., LT d.o.o., Markes International, Mikro+Polo d.o.o., and Renishaw plc.
