The Digital Heritage Workshop held at the Regional Museum in Chomutov demonstrated how 3D scanners and digital microscopes help contemporary research and presentation of works of art. Modern technologies unveiled details invisible to the naked eye. Moreover, in the virtual space, science, art and the protection of cultural heritage find new ways of mutual cooperation..
On Monday, 3 November 2025, the Digital Heritage Workshop took place in the exhibition halls of the Regional Museum in Chomutov. The event was organised by the ALMA Laboratory of the Institute of Inorganic Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, the Regional Museum in Chomutov, the Regional Museum in Teplice, and Keyence International.
The aim of the workshop was to present the latest technologies that bring new possibilities to the research, documentation, and preservation of artworks.
Today, digital microscopes and 3D scanners make it possible to study both surface and internal damage, observe artistic techniques in extreme detail, and create precise digital models for further study and virtual reconstructions.
Where the optical limits of the human eye once ended, a fascinating world of digital data and visualisation now begins.
Four Perspectives on Digital Heritage
The workshop programme was divided into four thematic blocks combining short expert presentations with hands-on demonstrations:
- Digitisation as a Means of Preservation (Janka Hradilová, ALMA & Elias Karraa Keyence) – demonstration of creating a digital 3D model of a polychrome sculpture directly in the museum exhibition and discussion of the possibilities of 3D scanning and printing in the field of cultural heritage.
- Microscope at Hand and in Hand (Janka Hradilová, ALMA & Tomáš Pastucha, Keyence) – presentation of digital microscopy as a tool for examining artworks at the micrometre level. Participants had the opportunity to observe two panel paintings and compare different imaging techniques, including IR reflectography.
- Miniatures Up Close (Janka Hradilová, Antonín Sondej, ALMA & Tomáš Pastucha Keyence) –analysis of portrait miniatures from the collections of the museums in Chomutov and Teplice, revealing painter’s brushwork , damages, degradations and retouches using digital microscopy.
- Digital Reconstructions (Janka Hradilová, Antonín Sondej, ALMA) – examples of virtual restorations of the original appearance of damaged artworks and discussion on the boundary between scientific reconstruction and creative interpretation.
The workshop offered an inspiring meeting of experts and the public. Participants were able to see how modern imaging technologies can expand our understanding of art and contribute to its preservation for future generations.
The event was held with the support of the Strategy AV21 programme „The power of objects: Materiality between past and future“ within activities „Materiality as a key to a new reading of works of art“ and „Advanced analytical methods for determining the origin of materials“
(Photographs from each session and a short video summary can be found below.)
