Some applications of SIMS in conservation science, archaeometry and cosmochemistry are described. Ultra-low energy SIMS depth profiling and TOF-SIMS imaging are used to study the corrosion of low-lime glass vessels from the V&A museum. Static SIMS and focused ion beam (FIB) SIMS are used to study the effects of laser cleaning on museum artefacts. Archaeological glass from Raqqa, Syria is studied with FIB-SIMS and micrometeorite impacts on space vessels are studied with FIB and FIB-SIMS. The new analytical challenges provided to the SIMS community by these materials are presented and the ethical issues associated with sampling and destructive analysis discussed. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.