When the Institute of British Architects was founded in London in 1834 – it added ‘Royal’ to its name in 1837 – education and research were at the heart of its objectives. According to its charter, its purpose is ‘the general advancement of Civil Architecture’, and ‘promoting and facilitating the acquirement of the knowledge of the various arts and sciences connected therewith’.
The Fondation Custodia, Paris, has an exemplary history of researching and publishing its collection of works of art on paper. This long-standing commitment continued undiminished under the energetic directorship of the late Ger Luijten, from 2010 to 2022, enhanced by the dissemination of collections-based research via email newsletters and online catalogues, many of recent acquisitions.