Government of India • Ministry of Culture
National Research Laboratory for Conservation of Cultural Property
NRLC Lucknow — Est. 1976
Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav
आज़ादी का अमृत महोत्सव
Government of India • Ministry of Culture
NRLC Lucknow — Est. 1976
Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav
आज़ादी का अमृत महोत्सव
Autonomous Body, Ministry of Culture
NRLC Lucknow undertakes research, documentation, and hands-on conservation treatment of paintings, manuscripts, metal artefacts, and archaeological material held in museums and monuments across Uttar Pradesh and beyond.
Hon'ble Prime Minister
Hon'ble Minister of Culture
Hon'ble MoS for Culture
Ministry of Culture, Government of India
The National Research Laboratory for Conservation of Cultural Property (NRLC), established in 1976, is a premier institution under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. Headquartered in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, the laboratory was founded with the objective of providing a robust scientific foundation to the conservation of India's vast and diverse cultural heritage.
Serving as the apex scientific body for conservation in the country, NRLC engages in advanced research, technical studies, and the hands-on restoration of various types of cultural properties, including miniature paintings, manuscripts, textiles, metals, stone sculptures, and archaeological artifacts.
Developing new methods, materials, and technologies for the preservation of heritage objects.
Conducting long-term courses, short-term workshops, and capacity-building programs for conservators.
Providing technical advice and direct conservation assistance to museums and archaeological departments.
Maintaining a comprehensive library, scientific data, and publications on cultural property conservation.
Aliganj, Lucknow
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Capacity Building & Education
NRLC is committed to developing skilled conservation professionals through its rigorous academic courses, short-term workshops, and institutional partnerships.
The flagship intensive training program designed for fresh graduates and museum professionals. Covers theoretical principles and practical techniques in the conservation of paper, metal, textiles, and stone.
Focused, intensive modules designed for working curators, archivists, and archaeologists. Topics include Archaeometallurgy, Preventive Conservation, and Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) techniques.
NRLC offers conservation education and laboratory exposure to university students pursuing degrees in Museology, Archaeology, and Heritage Management across various Indian universities.
Selected Case Studies
State Museum, Lucknow
Surface cleaning, tear repair, and humidity-controlled flattening of a set of 42 Pahari school miniature paintings damaged by past improper storage; treated with reversible, conservation-grade adhesives and archival mounting.
Raza Library, Rampur
Deacidification and tissue lining of brittle, foxed manuscript folios from a 17th-century Persian text; includes pigment analysis to guide reversible repair.
Archaeological Museum, Sarnath
Mechanical and chemical removal of active bronze disease from a 10th-century Buddhist bronze icon, followed by corrosion-inhibitor coating and climate-controlled display mount design.
Site Museum, Kalibangan
Desalination, consolidation, and reassembly of fragmented terracotta figurines recovered from a protected archaeological site, prior to permanent gallery display.
Monument complex, Uttar Pradesh
On-site biological growth removal, salt-efflorescence control, and protective consolidant application on weathered sandstone sculptures exposed to monsoon conditions.
Multiple districts, Uttar Pradesh
Workshops for local museum staff and temple trusts on basic preventive care, handling, and storage of cultural objects, conducted in partnership with state archaeology departments.
Glimpses of NRLC
Explore our state-of-the-art laboratory facilities, ongoing conservation projects, and recent capacity-building workshops.
Get in Touch
Director General
National Research Laboratory for Conservation of Cultural Property (NRLC)
Sector - E/3, Aliganj,
Lucknow - 226024, Uttar Pradesh, India
+91-522-2326050, 2326011
Project Officer
Regional Conservation Laboratory (RCL)
Siddhartha Nagar,
Mysuru - 570011, Karnataka, India
+91-821-2473041