CI ' s ▁staff ▁combine ▁state - of - the - art ▁instrument ation ▁and ▁scientific ▁techniques ▁with ▁the ▁knowledge ▁of ▁materials ▁and ▁the ▁history ▁of ▁technology ▁to ▁provide ▁technical ▁research ▁studies ▁and ▁interpretation ▁of ▁art , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁historical ▁and ▁anth rop ological ▁objects , ▁to ▁improve ▁the ▁conservation ▁and ▁collections ▁storage ▁capabilities ▁at ▁the ▁Smith son ian . ▁For ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁the ▁Smith son ian ▁collections , ▁M CI ▁is ▁the ▁only ▁Smith son ian ▁resource ▁for ▁technical ▁studies ▁and ▁anal ys es . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁The ▁Smith son ian ' s ▁Board ▁of ▁Reg ents ▁established ▁the ▁Conserv ation ▁Research ▁Labor atory ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁National ▁Museum ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 3 ▁in ▁response ▁to ▁a ▁growing ▁need ▁to ▁support ▁conservation ▁of ▁the ▁entire ▁Institution ' s ▁collections . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 5 ▁the ▁name ▁of ▁the ▁labor atory ▁was ▁changed ▁to ▁the ▁Conserv ation ▁Anal yt ical ▁Labor atory ▁( C AL ). ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 3 , ▁the ▁labor atory ▁moved ▁to ▁the ▁Museum ▁Support ▁Center ▁in ▁Su it land , ▁Maryland . ▁Congress ▁mand ated ▁a ▁national ▁conservation ▁training ▁program ▁among ▁other ▁wider ▁respons ib ilities ▁including ▁an ▁expanded ▁conservation ▁science ▁research ▁program . ▁ ▁The ▁Board ▁of ▁Reg ents ▁approved ▁a ▁name ▁change ▁to ▁the ▁Smith son ian ▁Center ▁for ▁Material s ▁Research ▁and ▁Education ▁( SC M RE ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁SC M RE ' s ▁mission ▁was ▁to ▁serve