:format(jpeg) "Museum lighting")
Museum lighting
Professional lighting design for exceptional exhibition resultsGood museum lighting inspires visitors from the very first moment. Tailor-made works of art and exhibition objects create an aesthetic and appealing environment. This improves the visitor experience, leads to an enhanced reputation and higher visitor numbers.
The lighting of museums and galleries poses a particular challenge, as both conservation requirements and organizational framework conditions and design demands must be met. Last but not least, the lighting concept must be economical and therefore sustainable for the operators.
Advantages of good lighting design for the museum
- Realistic, aesthetic and artistic presentation of the exhibits
- Conservation protection against potential damage from light exposure
- Economic benefits thanks to energy-efficient LED lighting solutions
Your lighting project with Lights.ie
A well-planned lighting concept in a museum illuminates exhibits without changing their color and without the risk of damage from light. Shadow formation - except for staging purposes - as well as disturbing glare and reflections are prevented by the right lighting.
Rely on the lighting design experts at Lights.ie with a wide range of industry experience.
:format(jpeg) "Lighting design")
Lamps and luminaires for lighting the museum
:format(jpeg) "Rail systems")
Rail systems are ideal for large showrooms. One of the advantages of a track system is its flexibility, as the luminaires can be adjusted to changing or repositioned exhibits at any time without the need for reinstallation. Another advantage is that the entire rail system only requires a single power connection.
Single spotlights for the ceiling are usually used to illuminate a small number of pictures and exhibits in a targeted manner. Their advantage is that they can be precisely aligned. Individual spotlights with LED lighting technology are particularly recommended. These offer high energy and cost efficiency in combination with a long service life and good to very good color rendering properties. Because individual spotlights require a separate power connection, precise lighting planning in advance is advisable.
:format(jpeg) "Single spotlight")
:format(jpeg) "Wallwasher")
Wallwashers are ideal for general lighting. If they are mounted in galleries, they can be placed above or next to pictures, which highlights the artwork. With LEDs, wallwashers offer the highest energy efficiency and the lowest maintenance requirements, as the light source rarely or never needs to be replaced.
Picture lights set the scene for individual works of art. They are either mounted on the wall to illuminate permanent or changing paintings, or directly on the frame of the respective painting. Picture lights are available in traditional designs, giving pictures a classic aesthetic. However, there are also numerous modern, minimalist looks that take a back seat to the picture. Picture lights do not necessarily have to be connected to a power supply - many products are battery-operated so that they can also be flexibly integrated into the lighting concept at a later date.
:format(jpeg) "LED picture light")
Requirements for the lighting concept in museums and galleries
A good lighting concept for museums and galleries combines uniform general lighting of the room with accent lighting that is aimed directly at works of art and exhibited objects. The focus is on the visitor experience as well as the artistic and curatorial idea. All good lighting concepts use different lighting solutions in a sensible combination.
:format(jpeg) "Effective staging")
Through the targeted use of accent lighting - i.e. spotlights and wallwashers - exhibits can be effectively showcased. They also attract the attention of visitors.
:format(jpeg) "Individuality and adaptability")
Lighting in museums and galleries must be individually adapted to the specific requirements of the exhibits and the spatial conditions. Every exhibition concept requires a customized lighting solution.
:format(jpeg) "Pleasant viewing of the objects")
Disturbing shadows must be strictly avoided in museum lighting. Correct positioning of the light sources and the selection of suitable lighting technologies are essential to illuminate exhibits evenly.
:format(jpeg) "Pleasant viewing of the objects")
Through the targeted use of accent lighting - i.e. spotlights and wallwashers - exhibits can be effectively showcased. They also attract the attention of visitors.
:format(jpeg) "Faithful representation")
Lighting in museums and galleries must be individually adapted to the specific requirements of the exhibits and the spatial conditions. Every exhibition concept requires a customized lighting solution.
:format(jpeg) "Faithful representation")
Disturbing shadows must be strictly avoided in museum lighting. Correct positioning of the light sources and the selection of suitable lighting technologies are essential to illuminate exhibits evenly.
Various areas of application for museum lighting
:format(jpeg) "Lighting of the exhibition space")
Various lighting concepts are used to illuminate a showroom. This includes diffused, diffuse and/or indirect light to create a uniform mood in the room. The diffuse light distribution results in little or no disturbing shadows, allowing objects to be viewed clearly and undisturbed. Wall and ceiling colors must be taken into account when planning lighting, as these influence the atmosphere and light distribution as design and, not least, reflective surfaces. Colored and dark walls can be found in "old masters" exhibitions, for example. In addition to the diffuse light, the exhibition space also features accent lighting directed at the object.
:format(jpeg) "Illumination of paintings")
Carefully planned lighting of paintings enhances the effect of the works of art. General and accent lighting must be harmoniously coordinated. The diffuse room lighting ensures appropriate brightness and orientation in the room, while selected accents set the scene for the painting and direct the viewer's gaze. Each work of art requires individual lighting that emphasizes its special features and creates the desired mood. In addition to the aesthetic aspect, these lighting solutions that are permanently in operation must also be economically convincing.
:format(jpeg) "Showcase lighting")
Some exhibits require the protection of a display case, which means that the lighting in and around the display case requires attention. For showcase lighting, flexibly mountable LED strips with low energy consumption and wide light distribution are ideal. Smaller LED spotlights can also be used to highlight specific objects within the display case. For showcases without their own light sources, it is important that the ceiling lighting is in harmony with the showcases to avoid reflections. It is also advisable to use anti-reflective glass for the display cabinets and dimmable light sources for light that can also be precisely adjusted at a later date.
:format(jpeg) "Illumination of objects")
Objects such as statues are often illuminated in the dark to impressively emphasize their structure and shapes through light and shadow. This requires a lighting solution with maximum flexibility. Movable spotlights and track spotlights with highly focused light are often used to illuminate the entire object or only certain parts of it. A lighting solution on the ceiling offers the most options for illuminating the object. Spotlights can also be used which, in contrast to the spotlight, have a larger beam angle. This allows the entire object to be illuminated evenly.
:format(jpeg) "Outdoor lighting for museums")
The exterior lighting draws the attention of potential visitors to the exhibition, creates an initial impression and, last but not least, serves as burglary protection. Configurable LED luminaires are a versatile and energy-efficient lighting solution. During the day, these can be used to create an inviting lighting atmosphere. At night, a different lighting concept can be activated automatically, which also deters burglars. LED outdoor spotlights and ground spotlights are popular for illuminating the building from below, as well as wall luminaires for impressively illuminating the museum's façade.
:format(jpeg) "Emergency lighting for the museum")
The emergency lighting in the museum serves to ensure the safety of both museum visitors and staff. LED luminaires are equipped with special emergency modules to ensure that the emergency lighting works even in the event of a power failure. This ensures an autonomous power supply in emergency situations. In addition, signs indicating escape and rescue routes enable safe evacuation and reduce the risk of accidents in extreme situations. Good emergency lighting also helps to reduce the risk of theft.
Illumination of paintings
White Cube describes a homogeneous illumination of space and art. This creates a calm, uniform spatial impression that does not differentiate between the exhibition object and the surrounding space in terms of lighting. For this lighting concept, luminaires with a wide beam angle and indirect lighting are used.
Black Box is the exact opposite. In a dark room, often without daylight, the artificial lighting is focused exclusively on the objects. The objects appear as if modeled out of the dark. This lighting concept conveys exclusivity and enables a focused view of the exhibition object. The effect of silence and reduction is based on the technical lighting experience from stage technology, where precisely this sensation is created with accent lights.
Good light needs professional advice