Lighting can make or break a museum display — for visitors and for the artifacts themselves. These five field-tested tips come from showcase projects we delivered for city museums and heritage halls.
1. Respect the lux budget
Conservation guidelines cap cumulative exposure: roughly 50 lux for sensitive materials like textiles and paper, 150–200 lux for sturdier objects. Design to the limit, not past it — brighter is not better when the loan period is nine months.
2. Filter UV at the source
Even LED sources emit a small UV share. Specify UV-filtering glass or films and ask for the cut ratio in writing — above 97% is the practical target. The filter protects the artifact even when a lamp is later swapped for a non-compliant one.
3. Aim with beam angles, not brightness
Narrow-beam spotlights (24–36°) model small objects; wide floods (60°+) wash large pieces evenly. Mixing beam angles lets one lighting track serve a whole case — and avoids the “spotlight grid” look that flattens displays.
4. Hide the sources
Visible lamps pull eyes away from exhibits. Conceal strips in coves, fiber bundles behind frames, and spots above the valance. Maintenance access stays real: every source should be reachable without opening the sealed envelope.
5. Design for maintenance on day one
Ask where the lamp driver lives, how a strip is replaced, and whether lighting levels are adjustable per deck. The best case lighting is the kind a museum technician can service in ten minutes — without a conservator on standby.
Planning an exhibition hall? Our museum-grade cases ship with lighting plans matched to your conservator’s brief — contact us for examples.