The EU-funded IMAGINE project focuses on developing and integrating major disruptive microscopy technologies to enable scale-crossing structural and functional investigation of biological specimens in their natural context. AI-powered image analysis capabilities will support technology integration and make data widely available. To harness the power of imaging for some of the most pressing societal challenges, IMAGINE will prepare its new imaging technologies to be deployed in the field, on Europe’s seas and coastlines, with the aim of coupling the collection of environmental specimens with their study using the highest resolution imaging. The ultimate goal is to ensure wide use of the new technologies by the European life science community.