Professional Documents
Culture Documents
for the four demonstrations are accessible at the DOE GATEWAY Studies site
(http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/ssl/gatewaydemos_results.html). For museums considering
switching to LEDs, Ms. Miller stated that the cost and payback of LEDs in museums should be evaluated
by the life cycle cost and not just the initial cost. In addition, she advised consulting the DOE LED
Lighting Facts website (http://www.lightingfacts.com) for test data, working with a diversity of known,
trusted LED brands, and proceeding slowly. An upcoming gateway project will combine control systems
with LEDs.
In his presentation, What Colour Rendering Index (CRI, Ra) and Colour Temperature Actually Mean:
Comparing Light Sources and Light Exposure at The National Gallery, London, Mr. Padfield, the Senior
Scientific Officer at the National Gallery, argued that museums should choose light metrics that provide
information about the relative light damage potential to the art work. Lux levels provide the amount of
light an artifact has been exposed to from a single light source relative to human perception, but are
limited in the ability to establish color quality or intensity or in relating light to the sensitivity of the
artwork. When considering different light sources for gallery illumination, comparing the SPD curves and
the color quality scale (CQS) is recommended. SPD curves measure the entire array of light produced
along the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Detailed information on SPD curves, Lux,
correlated color temperature (CCT), color rendering index (CRI), color quality scale (CQS), and relative
spectral sensitivity for various light sources can be found at the National Gallery, London site:
http://research.ng-london.org.uk/scientific/spd. Additionally the site is interactive, allowing users to
compare SPD curves of various light sources. Mr. Padfield iterated that while all visible light is
potentially damaging to artifacts, it is necessary for viewing them. To strike a balance between
preservation and aesthetics when displaying art, examining various aspects of light sources will help to
achieve both.
Brian Kraft, Head of Registration, discussed the path the Minneapolis Institute of Art s (MIA) took
towards installing LED lighting in "LED Lighting at the MIA: Process, Experience, and Results." The
journey began in 2008 as a result of the need to reduce costs and the creation of a Green Team at the
museum. During testing they found that people preferred 2700 and 3000 K LEDs best and so the museum
uses a blend of the two LEDs. Interestingly, in the blind test visitors did not prefer the look of
traditional halogen lighting. MIA negotiated a reduced price on their LED lights, which decreased the
payback period. During LED installation, the MIA kept the public informed and put out a donation box to
buy a light bulb, and received positive feedback on both initiatives. After installing the LED lights, the
staff and visitors noticed in the galleries the blues and greens were more vibrant, there was more depth to
paintings, and frames visually popped more. However, when lit with LEDs, the gray gallery walls color
shifted to purple and old conservation repairs become more visible. As a result, LEDs are now being used
in the conservation labs that serve the MIA so that the lab lighting mimics the exhibition environment.
From the use of LEDs, the MIA has saved about $3,135 per month and reduced watts used by 205,190
per month. Brian Kraft suggested that museums get a warranty for the LED lights and date the back of the
lights during installation to track the warranty date.
Steve Weintraub of Art Preservation Services, asked the question Are LEDs Ready for Prime Time in
Museums? and concluded that there is no single answer that applies to all museums. He addressed that
some museums are switching to LEDs due to green initiatives, a need for cost savings, or new
construction and renovation projects. Others are pursuing LEDs by choice or a desire to reduce energy
costs, reduce maintenance, and improve quality of light. He recommends referencing the Department of
Energys Solid State Lighting web resources to help guide calculations for cost and benefit of switching
to LEDs (http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/ssl/index.html). When choosing to purchase LEDs, he
recommends that museums test them first, consider whether it would be better to buy now or wait, and
aim for a realistic two-year payback period. Improvements are always being made in LED technology and
prices are going down: what you buy today will likely be replaced by a better, less expensive bulb
tomorrow.
Richard Kershner, Director of Conservation and Preservation, talked about the history of LED use at the
Shelburne Museum. They began using LEDs inside cases in 2005 to light their dollhouses. In 2010 they
began a historic interior retrofit switch to LEDs and are currently doing tests to determine whether to buy
new dedicated LED luminaires or retrofit their existing products. Richard emphasized the importance of
testing LED lights, negotiating a good warranty, and using multiple LED manufacturers.
Gordon Anson, Chief Lighting Designer at The National Gallery of Art, showed a series of slides taken
from exhibitions over the past 30 years. The images were of the same gallery space taken from the same
position and demonstrated the change in lighting the gallery over the years as they introduced LEDs.
The panel discussions fielded practical questions about using LED lights and considered the use of LEDs
in situations other than galleries. The panels said that more work needed to be done on why LEDs flash
when they fail. Dimming is complicated for LED lights and the most important factor is to ensure that
the LED lights and dimmer are compatible with each other and then to test it in your own gallery. The
panels concluded that the principles applied to selecting LEDs for gallery spaces also applied to behind
the scenes areas and libraries. LEDs with more light in the blue range enhance contrast even at low
lighting, which may be helpful in library settings. The panels also discussed whether museums should try
to mimic the lighting in which the artwork was originally created.
Scott Rosenfeld set up a gallery space as a LED lighting lab. The displays included a comparison of
different CRI values, chromaticity variance in halogen lamps, color variance in LED lamps, effect of
intensity on color appearance, comparison of color rendering under halogen and LED lamps,
and LED beam distribution.
To conclude, this conference provided the most current thinking on the state of LED lighting for
collections exhibition use. It is critical that we understand the complexity, benefits, and risks of the entire
exhibition environment, and the assembled presenters clarified what our questions should be as we move
forward using new lighting technology. Here's to continuing the process of sharing: investigation, the
decision making process, and solutions.