What does an innovation "lab" look like inside a library – and why do other cultural institutions like galleries, archives and museums need them now?

On 1 May 2025, on the cusp of launching SLV LAB at State Library Victoria, Ana Tiquia (Head of Innovation and Research, State Library Victoria) and Paula Bray (Chief Digital Officer, State Library Victoria) unpacked how labs help galleries, libraries, archives and museums keep pace with fast-moving technologies, by creating space for curiosity, experimentation and shared learning.

Paula reflects on lessons from early digital work at the Powerhouse Museum and six years leading the State Library of NSW’s DX Lab – where inviting technologists and artists in, documenting experiments, and publishing openly helped ideas travel beyond one organisation.