Science and MechAnics in Conservation of Heritage

11/08/2026

Nearly 1,000 years old. 70 metres long. Moved for the first time in over 40 years — and just featured in the The New York Times today.

SMACH has supported the Bayeux Museum's preventive conservation of the Bayeux Tapestry since 2021. That work culminated this year in the artefact's extraction from its display case, its transfer to flat storage, and its journey to the British Museum for a landmark exhibition opening 10 September.

Our contribution: helping design the "paravent", the hinged 28-panel screen that let the Tapestry move as a single, unstrained piece; the mechanical characterisation work (presented at ICOM-CC 2023) establishing that flat display reduces the fatigue and creep affecting already-fragile areas; and instrumented monitoring — vibration, shock, temperature, humidity — validating the transport protocol.

Heritage engineering, in practice: rigorous science in service of an irreplaceable object.

Read the full story — as featured in the New York Times.

French art experts insisted the fragile 900-year-old masterpiece could never travel. Political will, cutting-edge engineering and unorthodox diplomacy proved them wrong.

06/08/2026

Did you know that panel paintings are constantly moving? 🎨

Even in museum environments, changes in temperature and relative humidity cause wood to expand and contract. These deformations, invisible to the naked eye, can lead to severe damage to pictorial layers over time.

This summer, SMACH is delighted to welcome Claudia Gagliardi, a visiting PhD student from the Università degli Studi di Firenze. Thanks to the collaboration with Marco Fioravanti, Lorenzo Riparbelli, Paola Mazzanti, and Gaël Godi, Claudia has developed a new device for real-time deformation monitoring of panel paintings on display.

🎯The main goals during her stay at SMACH:

o Install the newly developed device on the back of a historical panel painting mock-up.

o Collect deformation measurements under free environmental conditions.

o Compare the gathered data against two well-established techniques to validate the system.

💡Why is this a step forward?

More than just another measurement tool, the new device represents a significant leap in preventive conservation. By enabling conservators to monitor an artwork's actual mechanical response in real time, it moves beyond the traditional approach of tracking environmental conditions alone, providing a direct, accurate assessment of climate-related risks.

👀Stay tuned for updates and results from the testing phase!

10/07/2026

A moment in history this morning: the Bayeux Tapestry has arrived at the British Museum in London, following last night's transport as part of the France–UK loan. SMACH is proud to have contributed to the transport and conservation methodology for this unique work, alongside the Musée de la Tapisserie de Bayeux, the British Museum, and the French heritage authorities.
Our multidisciplinary team worked so hard to make this event happened: van kralingen, Leila Sauvage , Cecilia Gauvin , Gilles Tournillon , aparicio-bentz, bajon, dejean

The exhibition opens on 10 September 2026 — we'll keep you posted as the project moves forward.

The famous artefact depicting events leading up to the Norman Conquest of England will go on display in September.

29/12/2025

End of year is a good time to take stock.
In 2025, one thing stood out: when we measure better, we decide better.

At SMACH, we kept working closely with conservation, collections management, restoration, and transport teams to better document risks (vibration, shocks, multi-factor environmental conditions) and turn data into concrete actions: prevention, mitigation, and traceability.

Thank you to our partners and clients for your trust, your high standards, and the field-based conversations that help move practices forward.

Wishing you a peaceful end of year and a 2026 that is ambitious, collective, and useful.

23/12/2025

Le Triptyque de Moulins de Jean Hey, chef-d’œuvre absolu de la peinture française à l’aube du XVIᵉ siècle, fait l’objet d’une restauration majeure pilotée par la DRAC Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes et conduite au C2RMF, révélant des couleurs et des détails depuis longtemps masqués. L'oeuvre est en exposition depuis novembre dernier au Musée du Louvre. Il s’agit de la première restauration depuis 1879, un tournant pour la connaissance de la peinture française de la fin du XVe siècle.

Autour d’une œuvre aussi exceptionnelle, la conservation préventive est un enjeu autant scientifique qu’éthique : chaque déplacement, chaque variation climatique, chaque contrainte mécanique sur le support bois doit être anticipé et documenté pour garantir la stabilité de l’ensemble, aujourd’hui et pour les générations futures.

Dans ce cadre, SMACH intervient comme co-traitant de l’ Tournillon, mandataire du marché de restauration du support bois, pour apporter une expertise d’ingénierie mécanique et de monitoring des risques. Aux côtés de la DRAC Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, SMACH participe également à la préparation du retour du triptyque dans la cathédrale de Moulins.

Cette collaboration étroite entre restaurateurs, ingénieurs, DRAC et institutions muséales illustre la place centrale de la conservation préventive dans la vie d’une œuvre : une démarche continue, du laboratoire à la cathédrale, au service d’un même objectif – préserver un patrimoine exceptionnel sans le figer.

09/12/2025

SMACH est a la recherche d'un stagiere M2 ou cycle Ingénieur pour renforcer notre équipe de R&D. L'étudiant.e sélectionné.e aura la possibilité de continuer en these CIFRE par la suite.

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