Dear listers (please pardon the cross-posting),

I would be interested to hear from the field about experiences (good and
bad) with UV film and other methods of reducing UV levels through windows at
historic house museums. Here at Drayton Hall, we are conducting paint
consolidation and passive environmental management work as part of a larger
conservation project, and we are having a hard time reconciling the benefits
of UV film with the difficulty and expense of removing the film for
replacement when the filtration degrades.

For those who are not familiar with Drayton Hall, it was built 1738-1742 and
is presented to the public unrestored and unfurnished. The paint in most
rooms is only 7 generations thick (some spaces have only 1 or 2
generations). We wish to control the UV light in order to prolong the life
of this fragile historic paint record, as well as to slow the process of
degradation of other historic fabric. We are considering the reinstallation
of interior louvered blinds (shutters from c. 1880) in selected spaces, but
this will not be practical in much of the house. We, therefore, need a means
to filter the light at the windows, either by installing film on the glass,
film on roll-up shades, or some other method. Reversability is VERY
important, as is low impact on the surrounding historic fabric,
effectiveness of filtration, and the ability to continue operation of the
window sash.

Any comments would be appreciated. Our Web site at
http://www.draytonhall.org has more information about the project and our
site in general. Of particular note would be our Project Diary, which has a
link on our home page. Thanks.

---
Wade Lawrence
Assistant Director, Drayton Hall
A National Trust historic site
http://www.draytonhall.org
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