The Thin Films and In Situ Characterization Facility in the 2D Crystal Consortium – Materials Innovation Platform (2DCC-MIP) user facility includes a multimodule ultra-high vacuum system for the synthesis and study of two dimensional (2D) chalcogenide films by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) [upper panel].  The lower left panel shows a high resolution cross-sectional transmission electron microscope image of a complex 2D chalcogenide film synthesized in this facility. Such 2D films are characterized in their pristine state by transferring them in vacuo to surface sensitive characterization tools. The in vacuo environment avoids the modification of the inherent properties of these 2D films by exposure to ambient atmosphere. The electronic energy surface states in these 2D films are probed using angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) and scanning tunneling microscopy. The right lower panel shows ARPES measurements of a topological insulator thin film.