SLL LIGHTING GUIDE 8: Lighting for Museums and Art Galleries

DESCRIPTION

Produced as an aid to architects, interior designers and lighting designers concerned with the lighting of museums, art galleries and other places where objects are on display for pleasure or education. It aims to provide guidance on the design and provision of lighting for the displays as well as the gallery itself, and considers how a lighting installation can be engineered to form an integrated part of the architecture.

Many of the objects displayed in museums and galleries are susceptible to damage through exposure to light and this will be an important consideration for the designer.

A major design decision relates to the primary mode of lighting to be used, e. g. daylight, electric light or a combination of both. This will affect, or be determined by, the design of the building itself as well as the type of exhibits. Further areas of concern include the energy efficiency and the capital and operating costs of the lighting installation. Although the publication is directed towards new buildings, the information is equally applicable to refurbishments.