**Please note:** the first round of this survey closed on 31 July 2026, and those responses are now being analysed. The survey remains open as a way of registering your interest. New responses are very welcome and will be included in the next round of analysis, although there may be a delay before we are able to follow up, as we work through the first set of responses and plan the next steps.
The Heritage Samples Registry is a collaborative initiative led by the National Gallery (UK), KIK-IRPA (Belgium), FORTH (Greece), and the Deutsches Bergbau-Museum Bochum (Germany).
This work is being developed in collaboration with, and partly supported through, the ECHOES (https://www.echoes-eccch.eu/) project, alongside other related European and international initiatives.
The aim is to explore a shared, international approach to identifying and referencing heritage and natural history samples used in research.
In practical terms, this could include:
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assigning International Generic Sample Numbers (IGSNs) — unique, persistent identifiers — to physical samples;
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making it easier to find and discover samples held by different institutions;
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supporting links between samples and related analyses, publications, and datasets through existing DOI-based research infrastructure;
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supporting consistent identification, linking, and citation of samples across projects, institutions, and publications.
We are seeking input from researchers, institutions, and project partners, including those involved in related initiatives, to help shape this service and better understand community needs and priorities. Completing the survey is also a simple way of registering your interest in the Registry and in taking part in future rounds of work.
The survey takes approximately 10-15 minutes to complete and can be completed by individual researchers or on behalf of an institutions. Further background information is available on the project website.
For further information about the Heritage Samples Registry and the use of IGSNs, please visit https://heritagesamples.org or contact us at info@heritagesamples.org.
There are 26 questions in this survey.
