Hi, Anna --

As a gardener (not to mention a seasonal allergy sufferer), I'd be suspicious of using sterilized potting soil or other "clean dirt" in an indoor exhibit space.  Methods of killing insects, arthropods and other microorganisms that thrive in soil would not necessarily destroy mold spores.  

If humidity levels in the exhibit area increase or the soil gets wet (from a leaky air conditioner or pipe), you'll wind up with a  mold problem.  If the soil gets wet, staining of any adjacent surfaces is likely to occur. Even if the area stays dry, I'd be concerned about soil particles winding up in the HVAC system or on people's shoes and clothing and being redistributed around the building.  

Have you checked with any exhibit preparators for a better, more permanent solution? Many natural history museums have open dioramas with amazingly realistic-looking foregrounds that don't involve real soil or "clean dirt."  I'm not sure where Gaston County is but if you're in the western Great Lakes region, the Field Museum (www,fmnh.org) and the Milwaukee Public Museum (www.mpm.edu) come to mind as museums with exhibits departments that you can contact for advice.   

Good luck,

Judy Turner
Whitefish Bay, WI

--- On Fri, 7/25/08, Anna Poull <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> From: Anna Poull <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: [MUSEUM-L]
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Date: Friday, July 25, 2008, 4:04 PM
> We are in the middle of renovating a permanent exhibit space
> and were wondering if anybody knows where we could find
> 'clean' dirt, that has been frozen or otherwise
> treated to ensure it is pest free and safe for a indoor
> exhibit space. Any information on how to apply and install
> such a material would also be greatly appreciated.
>  
> Thanks,
> Anna Poull
> Gaston County Museum of Art and History


      

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