The Lab @ The Peale
The Peale is Baltimore’s Community Museum.
Baltimore’s Center for Cultural Innovation
The Lab @ The Peale is a forward-facing center of innovation dedicated to reimagining how museums and cultural institutions serve the public in the 21st century. Anchored in Baltimore yet engaged globally, the Lab develops new strategies, technologies, and practices that expand the relevance, accessibility, and impact of cultural work.
As the cultural sector confronts profound social, technological, and institutional shifts, the Lab provides space, structure, and support for bold ideas to take shape—grounded in equity, guided by community, and built for long-term sustainability.
Purpose
The Lab exists to strengthen the capacity of cultural organizations to lead in a rapidly changing world. We do this by supporting interdisciplinary collaboration, advancing digital and immersive technologies, and building innovative models for engagement and institutional transformation.
Focus Areas
Innovation Development and Implementation
The Lab designs and refines cutting-edge applications in digital storytelling, immersive media, and adaptive user experiences. These projects are tested in partnership with artists, technologists, and cultural organizations, with a focus on ethical, inclusive, and sustainable design.
Cross-Sector Collaboration
We serve as a convener for universities, nonprofits, museums, and private-sector partners working at the intersection of technology and culture. These collaborations generate scalable solutions and new frameworks for shared public value.
Workforce Development
Through fellowships, apprenticeships, and training programs, the Lab equips emerging professionals with the skills and critical perspectives necessary to lead in a dynamic cultural landscape. Special attention is given to recruiting and supporting participants from underrepresented communities.
Applied Research and Public Exchange
The Lab hosts a range of programs—from field research to salons and public conversations—that generate insight, spark innovation, and contribute to broader discourse in the cultural and civic sectors.
Institutional Context
Located within The Peale—America’s first purpose-built museum—the Lab carries forward a legacy of public access and civic innovation. Today, The Peale functions as Baltimore’s community museum, and The Lab builds upon that platform to serve as a national and international model for how cultural institutions can adapt and lead.
About Nancy
Nancy Proctor, Ph.D., is a museum strategist, specializing in starting up and turning around non-profit organizations. Having led digital innovation at the Smithsonian, the Baltimore Museum of Art, and in the mobile sector, she joined The Peale in 2017 as its (re)founding director, overseeing the capital campaign and renovation of the museum’s historic building, and its relaunch as Baltimore’s Community Museum.
Today, Nancy leads The Lab @ The Peale, a visionary initiative dedicated to rethinking the future of museums and cultural organizations. Through The Lab, she empowers institutions to define their purpose, deepen community connections, and build resilient models for growth and impact. Nancy’s work continues to inspire a global movement toward more inclusive and innovative cultural spaces.