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MCI Project Summaries 2008 - Smithsonian Institution

MCI Project Summaries 2008 - Smithsonian Institution

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<strong>MCI</strong> 6211 Studying the Effects of Light on Sensitive Museum Objects and<br />

Materials and the Application of Research Results in Setting Lighting Levels in<br />

Museums<br />

<strong>MCI</strong> Staff: Julio del Hoyo, Marion F. Mecklenburg, Mel J. Wachowiak<br />

This research studied the environmental conditions in which collections are<br />

stored or exhibited. Environmental conditions normally include ambient temperature,<br />

relative humidity, air quality and filtration, and illumination levels. This study specifically<br />

addressed measurement and calibration of illumination levels in the newly renovated<br />

Old Patent Office Building (POB), now called the Donald W. Reynolds Center for<br />

American Art and Portraiture (DWRC), which is the repository for the collections of the<br />

<strong>Smithsonian</strong> American Art Museum (SAAM) and the National Portrait Gallery (NPG).<br />

With the recently completed renovation, numerous windows and skylights were reopened raising<br />

light levels in the DWRC. This study is evaluating the new light levels to ensure the safety of the<br />

collections. Coincident with measuring light levels, research is being conducted to determine the<br />

fading rates of sensitive objects and materials in the collections. The combination of data will<br />

help set the most appropriate light levels for<br />

display objects.<br />

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