Careful digitization
We develop imaging and 3D methods that capture fragile objects without harming them.
Digital heritage, cultural preservation, and access
Preserving cultural heritage in a digital age.
Marnley Institute helps libraries, archives, and museums digitize fragile collections, preserve them for the long term, and open them to researchers and the public — with care for provenance, context, and community.
2015Founded
47Staff & fellows
25+Partner collections
300+Open guides & records
Mission
Culture, made durable and open
Marnley studies and builds better ways to digitize, describe, preserve, and share cultural heritage, so collections remain accessible and trustworthy for future generations.
Durable preservation
We research file formats, metadata, and storage that keep digital collections readable for decades.
Meaningful access
We help institutions open collections with context, provenance, and respect for communities.
Research areas
Where we focus
Our programs span digital heritage, cultural preservation, and access. Each area combines empirical study, open tools, and practical guidance.
Digitization & imaging
High-fidelity 2D and 3D capture of manuscripts, objects, and sites.
Digital preservation
Formats, metadata, and storage strategies for long-term readability.
Metadata & interoperability
Standards like IIIF that let collections connect and travel across systems.
Access & engagement
Interfaces and programs that bring collections to researchers and the public.
Provenance & ethics
Documenting origin, rights, and community context for responsible sharing.
Heritage & computation
Careful use of search, computer vision, and AI on cultural collections.
Recent work
Publications & outputs
Reports, briefs, and field studies from our centers and fellows.
2018
A Preservation-Ready Digitization Workflow
Practical steps for capturing collections with preservation in mind.
2020
Metadata That Travels
How interoperability standards keep collections usable across systems.
2022
3D Capture of Fragile Objects
Lessons from documenting delicate artifacts in three dimensions.
Preserve and open your collections
Work with Marnley fellows and researchers on digitization, preservation, and access projects.