Lighting Guide 8: Lighting for museums and art galleries

Mark Sutton Vane

• Publisher: The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers/ The Society of Light and Lighting
• Year: 2021
• Print ISBN:
  9781914543098
• eBook ISBN:
  9781914543104
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Construction & Architectural Engineering
• Index: Technology & Engineering

This guide addresses lighting issues specific to museums, galleries and historic buildings. One consideration is that responsibility for lighting design may be spread among a diverse group, which can include lighting designers, curators, architects, engineers, conservators, facilities managers, maintenance staff and private collectors. Clarifying who is responsible for lighting is a necessary precursor to making design decisions. However, to avoid repetition, this publication has adopted the term 'lighting designer' to describe the individual or group with this responsibility.This guide is not intended to provide solutions but to inform and assist lighting designers to ensure that they are aware of the issues involved and also to enable them to know when to ask questions and seek advice. The presence of sensitive materials that can be damaged by light introduces another range of challenges not normally encountered in general lighting practice. This guide aims also to provide assistance with the identification of these issues and their reconciliation in the design and management of buildings. Consideration of controlling light exposure is an issue that sets this guide apart from other Society of Light and Lighting (SLL) published guidance, which generally covers lighting for task performance and the overall appearance.Designing the lighting for museums and galleries is among the most creative and satisfying tasks for a lighting designer. The lighting designer may work with a team of highly knowledgeable and enthusiastic experts to deliver a project that will be seen by large numbers of people.

Table of contents

• 1 Introduction
• 2 Lighting principles
• 3 Properties of light
• 4 Brightness
• 5 Colour
• 6 Direction
• 7 Working with brightness, colour and direction
• 8 Natural light in the museum or gallery
• 9 Electric light in the museum or gallery
• 10 Material degradation
• 11 ‘Experience’ displays
• 12 Security lighting
• 13 Emergency lighting
• 14 Working, maintenance and cleaning lighting
• 15 Temporary exhibition galleries
• 16 Events and corporate entertainment
• 17 The shop
• 18 Luminaires
• 19 Combining daylight and electric lighting
• 20 Lighting controls
• 21 Energy efficiency, maintenance and costs
• 22 Designing the lighting of the museum or gallery
• 23 Glossary
• 24 References, bibliography and further reading
• Appendix: list of artificial skies available for hire
• Index
• Blank Page