Renamed Office of State Archaeology Conservation Lab Expands Focus Beyond Queen Anne’s Revenge Shipwreck

The North Carolina Office of State Archaeology has changed the name and expanded focus for one of its five locations. The Queen Anne's Revenge Conservation Lab in Greenville was established in 2003 to preserve artifacts from one of North Carolina's most significant archaeological discoveries - the wreck of Blackbeard's flagship Queen Anne's Revenge, formerly the French slave ship, La Concorde. The facility has been renamed the Office of State Archaeology Conservation Lab (OSA Lab). It will continue serving as the base for the La Concorde/Queen Anne's Revenge Shipwreck Project, while the lab's new title represents its growth and greater role within the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and beyond.

"A large portion of our work will always be La Concorde/Queen Anne's Revenge, but we are proud to expand our conservation, analytical, and consultation services to other organizations in need of the special care we can provide," said Head Conservator Kimberly Kenyon. "The lab has built partnerships across the state to support exhibits and to serve our fellow agencies and their visitors by preserving a wider range of North Carolina's irreplaceable cultural heritage."

Several collections from North Carolina State Historic Sites, including Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson, Fort Dobbs, Halifax, Bennett Place, and Shallow Ford, were sent to the OSA Lab for conservation prior to their exhibit. Additionally, the lab recently analyzed objects for the N.C. Museum of History, the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum, the U.S. Forest Service, the Battleship North Carolina, and East Carolina University to assist with research and to identify composition, so that staff responsible for those objects can make the best decisions regarding their care.

Over the last two decades, the OSA Lab has gained international recognition as a leader in large-scale archaeological conservation and research. Gradual increases in staffing and capacity have allowed the lab to scale up its operations to smoothly incorporate additional collections. The lab is now home to several newsworthy discoveries, including the shipwreck unearthed at Brunswick Town in 2025 by East Carolina University in collaboration with OSA's Underwater Archaeology Branch, as well as Native American dugout canoes recovered from Lake Phelps, Lake Waccamaw, and the South River near Autryville.

"We are excited to see what new opportunities the future holds for the OSA Lab and how we can continue to grow and to serve our partners and communities," Kenyon said.

To learn more about the lab's work, come to the annual Office of State Archaeology Conservation Lab Open House on Saturday, April 11. The lab will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This event is hosted in partnership with the North Carolina Science Festival. Reservations are not required, and admission is free.

About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural ResourcesThe N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina - its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. At more than 100 sites across the state, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency. For more information, please visit https://www.dncr.nc.gov.

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