FLASH issue 16 - Tridonic connection technology

Project
Prehistoric dugout preserved
for all time
On display at the “Norsk Sjøfartsmuseum” (Norwegian Maritime Museum) is a dugout canoe that is around
2,200 years old. TALEXXstrip P521-2 LED modules from TridonicAtco, together with appropriate lenses, covers
and supports, ensure that the exhibit is adequately lit without damaging it.
Norway – a nation steeped
in maritime tradition
The Norsk Sjøfartsmuseum is beautifully located
TALEXXstrip P521 modules
meet the conservation requirements
on the waterfront at Bygdøynes and has an
extensive collection that reflects Norway’s fame
as a seafaring nation. Large exhibition halls
accommodate the interiors and deck sections
of new and old ships. Models are used to
illustrate the development of seafaring from
the Viking era, through windjammers to
present-day supertankers and cruise ships.
The museum also covers polar expeditions,
whaling and the merchant fleet during the
Second World War. The film that runs in the
auditorium looks at Norway’s coastal heritage
and maritime history. One of the exhibits is
the “Gjøa”, the arctic vessel in which Roald
Amundsen was the first to sail the north-west
passage from 1903 to 1906. Also in the harbour
is the museum’s training ship, the schooner
“Svanen”, which can be hired out for evening
excursions.
A sensitive addition
Now visitors to the museum, which was recently
expanded, can marvel at the oldest boat ever
discovered in Norway.
Around 2,200 year ago, an oak tree was
hollowed out to create a dugout. The bow
of the boat broke off in prehistoric times,
leaving a relic about 9.75 meters in length.
It is assumed that the original boat measured
some 11 meters and weighed between 1.5
and 2 tonnes.
This is the largest dugout ever discovered and
would have been used for fishing and hunting
and for transport along inland waterways.
To preserve this prehistoric find for future
generations some serious conservation
work was needed. The large windows of
the exhibition halls allow a lot of natural light
in. This means that there is a high level of UV
radiation that will damage such exhibits and
also a considerable amount of heat. To protect
the dugout a 12 meter long wall was built
parallel to the windows looking out onto the
fjord and 2.5 meters away from them. This wall
keeps direct sunlight out of the hall in which
the boat is exhibited. Fans have been installed
to ensure an even and pleasant temperature.
LED in the glass case
A glass case measuring 10.5 meters long by
1.3 meters wide by 2.0 meters high protects
the dugout from dust and contact.
The case can be opened at one end to allow
the boat to be moved in and out and for essential
maintenance work. Inside this oversize case
it is possible to create a defined atmosphere
with the right climatic conditions to preserve
and present this exceptional exhibit. A 10 cm
diameter hole has been drilled through the
concrete floor slab through which a duct leads
to the service room.
The exhibit is lit by a total of 16 high-power
TALEXXstrip P521-2 modules from
TridonicAtco to strict conservational specifications.
The modules produce light that contains
no ultra-violet or infra-red components and
generate very little heat.
Project data
Owner:
Lighting design:
Norsk Sjøfartsmuseum
Norsk Sjøfartsmuseum
34 www.tridonicatco.com FLASH Issue 16