Tube holders for use in a lab environment include an optical device to allow the observation of barcode information on a sample tube. The optical device can include a lens or camera. Tube holders can also include reflective surfaces or mechanical mechanisms to allow the tube to be rotated such that reading a barcode does not require a strict initial orientation of the tube when placed in the tube holder. Arrays of tubes can include optical guides to allow barcodes to be read by an external imaging device.