Museum Lighting and Optically Coated Glazing
Glazing is increasingly being used within museums and galleries to protect works of art and cultural heritage. This can take the form of a sheet of glass or acrylic within the frame for 2D material, or as cases and vitrines for 3D items. The benefits of such protection are manifold, from the obvious physical barrier hindering theft and vandalism, to acting as a buffer against fluctuating environmental conditions. However, there are often many curatorial concerns with using glazing. Depending on the type of material used and the lighting conditions, glazing can impact upon the aesthetics of an artwork or artefact, potentially altering viewer engagement and understanding of a piece.
The most common concern with using glazing is reflection. It is reflections that can prevent the viewer from fully seeing the work, and make the glazing itself perceptible. Action can be taken to minimise the impact of reflections, and if done successfully, this can render the glazing nearly invisible. The majority of low-reflective glazing products currently on the market have coatings applied to the surface to reduce reflection using optical interference. However, it is rare that using a low-reflective glazing product, in isolation from any consideration of the light source in an exhibition environment, will produce an outcome that curators are fully happy with. The best results are achieved using a combination of lighting and low-reflective glazing, and by considering the interactions between them.
This poster provides an overview of the different types of glazing currently on the market, and will explain the manufacturing process of optical coatings and how they interact with light to reduce reflections. Lighting technology is developing rapidly and has changed considerably over the last few years. This means that many museums are using diverse light sources, which can even vary between exhibition spaces within one institution. Examples will be shown of the diversity in the amount and appearance of reflections that can occur depending upon various lighting scenarios. The effects of different light sources, colour temperatures, and light position relative to the work, will be described. It is hoped that by increasing awareness of the relationship between lighting and glazing, any interference of the material between the observer and an art or heritage item will be minimised, leading to greater appreciation and understanding of the work in question.
