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MUSEUM LIGHTING DESIGN
We catch up with our Head of Specification, Sandi Moolman on museum lighting designs and important considerations creating this type of illuminated scheme.
What role can lighting controls play within this type of lighting project?
Lighting controls are an integral aspect for museum lighting design. Offering more than just a practical use, controllers can be paired with lighting solutions to create different illumination styles and designs to add further context and meaning to exhibition displays.
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These can include delivering vivid RGB and RGBW LED colour sequences or flowing through a range of white colour temperature LEDs, as well as providing dimmable functionality for
adjusting the lighting levels as required. Along with this, certain lighting controls are Bluetooth and DMX enabled, making them extremely user friendly for whenever the lighting scheme for museum exhibitions needs altering.
These can include delivering vivid RGB and RGBW LED colour sequences or flowing through a range of white colour temperature LEDs, as well as providing dimmable functionality for adjusting the lighting levels as required. Along with this, certain lighting controls are Bluetooth and DMX enabled, making them extremely user friendly for whenever the lighting scheme for museum exhibitions needs altering.
What negative impacts can lighting have on exhibits and how can this be overcome?
Inferior LED solutions can carry a number of risks if installed for museum lighting design, in particular if these lighting products are used for display and backlighting purposes. Issues such as poor-quality light output or LEDs which warm up after prolonged usage can compromise the integrity of displayed artefacts and could lead to irreversible damage.
Helping to avoid these problems, certain lighting solutions such as LED Light Sheet panels are engineered in such a way that any heat generated from the LEDs is dissipated, ensuring the lighting solution runs cool to the touch, and displayed items will not incur any heat damage. As well as this, some light panels can be embedded with high CRI LEDs, guaranteeing artefacts are displayed true to life, and the colours on various exhibition items are accurately showcased.
Please tell us about a successful museum lighting project Applelec Lighting has worked on and what it involved.
One of our favourite museum lighting projects was working with Studio ZNA for the permanent exhibition, Designer Maker User at London’s Design Museum. Displaying an 8000 strong product archive, Applelec LED Light Sheet was integrated throughout the exhibition’s various display cases.
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Specified in our 4100K LED option to complement the warm tones of the space, Applelec LED Light Sheet was embedded with high CRI 90+ LEDs to deliver superior illumination and a premium finish to highlight the selection of displayed, iconic artefacts. Our lighting solution was also paired with dimmable LTECH Controllers to factor in the museum’s conservation requirements by enabling lower light levels to be set within the display cases.
How does lighting impact the overall experience for the visitor?
Lighting is a key aspect for museum and exhibition design, it helps to set the ambience, create focus lighting as well as utilised as a way of guiding visitors. The use of light and dark can be used to create an interesting and atmospheric space, whether that’s through the use of spotlights or LED Light Sheet panels, lighting can play a crucial role in influencing what the visitor feels and experiences at exhibitions.