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Daylighting in museums is more than just a method of illumination; it is a crucial element that enhances the visitor experience, brings out the true essence of artworks, and connects the exhibit to its natural surroundings.  

Proper daylight is transformative to museum environments. Daylight creates intuitive wayfinding and an energizing, dynamic experience that changes over the course of the day and year. Apertures connect institutions to their neighborhoods and offer moments of respite to reduce museum fatigue. Ultimately daylight renders full spectrum light for art and does an wonderful job sculpting three-dimensional works. Achieving the right balance between the above aspirations and protecting art and artifacts from potential degradation requires careful planning and expertise.

Gabe Guilliams, partner and US cultural sector lead at º£½ÇÊÓƵ, shares his key considerations and best practices for illuminating art with daylight. Here’s a comprehensive set of considerations to guide museums in effectively using daylight to enhance visitor experiences. 

Collection and client 

• Artifact types: Identify the types of artifacts in the collection. Are they part of the institution’s permanent collection or borrowed works on loan agreements? Determine if the items will be displayed permanently or stored in dark conditions for significant periods. 
• Client experience: Assess the client’s familiarity with daylighting. Have they worked with daylight before? Do they understand its dynamic nature and the variation in illumination levels their works will experience? Evaluate the sophistication of the facilities group and their ability to manage automated systems. Simplify where possible.

Quantity of light 

• Conservation methodology: Understand the museum’s approach to conservation. How do they track light exposure to their works? 
• Light exposure: Exposure is the instantaneous level of light multiplied by the duration a work is under that light. Low-level light for a long period and high-level light for a short period can result in equivalent exposure levels. Museums with large, rotating collections may allow the spaces to have more light since they’ll also spend time in dark storage. The additional light will enhance clarity, detail, and viewer comprehension.

Quality of light 

• Local daylight characteristics: Identify what is unique about the daylight in the museum’s location. Is there a local landmark to connect to? Capture the essence of the place.
• Glass technology: While glass technology has improved over the last 20 years, options suitable for museum environments are limited. Glass with a high ability to render all colors across the visible spectrum is preferred. However, the potential for damage to art increases toward the ultraviolet (UV) range. As UV is blocked, careful attention must be taken to ensure that color quality of visible light in the near-UV range is not compromised. Review glazing samples in person.

Lighting strategies: 

• Top light: Maximizes space for hanging art and creates greater uniformity on walls, increasing curatorial flexibility.
• Side light: Offers a more dynamic interaction as the day changes. Humans are phototropic—drawn to light—so gradients of daylight across wall surfaces enhance visitors’ curiosity and exploration, aiding in wayfinding. Side light can also be a great illuminant for sculpture. 

Temperature and humidity 

• Daylighting apertures: Consider the size and proximity of daylighting apertures to artworks. Ensure the underlying strategy accommodates light exposure as well as temperature and humidity stability required for the artwork. 

Electric light 

• Interaction with daylight: Be cautious about creating systems that detract from the daylight experience by trying to match daylight color quality. The systems can quickly become complicated for facilities teams to understand and maintain. As museum staff changes over time, maintaining systems can become challenging. Keep them simple and intuitive so that staff doesn’t shut out the daylight because they don’t know how to ensure the works are safe.

By following these guidelines museums can conserve the integrity of their collections while harnessing the power of daylight to create a more engaging and enriching visitor experience.