The BMBF-funded joint project "Educational research at informal learning sites in the interplay between authenticity and digitality" (BILAD) launched in October 2021. Initiated by TUM and the IWM, the international research network is comprised of established researchers and experts from 17 research institutions, museums, science centers, and memorial sites in Europe and the USA. The network deliberately transcends traditional museum types, and the spectrum of participating learning spaces includes natural history museums, technology museums, art museums, and historical memorial sites. Over the course of the project, several thematic areas were conceptually addressed: authenticity, the concept of 4E learning, informal learning, digital media, and research methodological challenges. Overall, the project aimed to address the underlying mechanisms and their sustainability in informal learning spaces. Funding for the project ended in December 2024. However, network participants intend to continue to exchange ideas through online and on-site meetings, and empirical projects involving multiple network participants have also been initiated.