A laboratory is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific research, experiments, and measurement may be performed. Scientific laboratories can be found in schools and universities, in industry, in government or military facilities, and even aboard ships and spacecraft. A laboratory might offer work space for just one to more than thirty researchers depending on its size and purpose. Recently, a new type of laboratory called Open Laboratory has emerged. Its format allows the sharing of space, equipment, support staff between different research groups and also fosters information exchange through communications across fields.
-Wikipedia