LG08 Lighting for museums and art galleries (2021)

Lighting for museums and galleries deals with lighting not only museums and galleries but also historic houses and places where historic and cultural artefacts are displayed. It is aimed at those who bear responsibility for the design, management and operation of lighting, such as lighting designers, architects, exhibition designers, interior designers and electrical engineers; and also for those who have direct responsibility for day-to-day management, installation and operation of lighting, such as curators, managers and operational staff.

This guide has been written in a time of unprecedented change in lighting. We have seen the advent of an entirely new type of light source — the LED. There is much new published work and guidance on the conservation of museum objects and designers are subject to considerable pressure to minimise energy use. We also have new legislation to deal with, which affects the availability of different types of lamp, and frequently updated Building Regulations limiting energy use in buildings of all types. The 'Internet of Things' and 'smart lighting' are making a huge range of changes in the control of lighting. We have aimed to capture much of this change in this new edition of the guide. 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.

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.

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.

The 2021 publication author is Mark Sutton Vane (Sutton Vane Associates).

This publication incorporates material from the previous edition. The Society acknowledges the material provided by previous authors and contributors, including the following: Kevan Shaw, Linda Bullock, Andy Calver, Stephen Cannon-Brookes, Christopher Cuttle, Arfon Davies, David Loe, Boris Pretzel, Devki Raj-Guru, John Roles, Paul Ruffles, David Saunders, Mike Simpson, Tad Trylski.