Academic Materials Research Laboratory of Painted Artworks (ALMA) is a joint workplace of the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague (AFA) and the Institute of Inorganic Chemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (IIC ASCR). This is a scientific laboratory focused on the Czech cultural heritage. Combining the branches of the natural sciences, art and the history of art, ALMA seeks to deepen the knowledge of painting materials and techniques. The knowledge acquired is integrated into a complete evaluation of painted art works by origin, age, and authenticity. The ALMA Laboratory develops instrumental materials analysis methods and interprets the results in the context of art history and history of materials technology.