For the most part, we have 85-year-old cork floors.  These are scarred 
up and gouged in a few places, but we love them anyway.  They've got 
*patina*, they're sound-dampening, and they're soft to the foot.  A 
museum up the road from us recently went with cork floors, and their new 
ones look terrific too.

We recently re-configured a gallery and had to find a new flooring.  We 
went with carpet tiles because it's a gallery frequently used by 
children's tours, and we wanted something soft for them to sit on.  The 
tiles are easily switched out if one gets stained or torn, so we just 
ordered an extra dozen or so when we installed.  Two and a half years 
on, we have yet to replace one, as they've held up to traffic quite well. 

Jill R. Chancey, PhD
Curator
Lauren Rogers Museum of Art
PO Box 1108
Laurel, MS 39441-1108
www.LRMA.org
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Jerrie Clarke wrote:
> Hello all,
>  
> We're in the process of updating our permanent exhibits and sprucing 
> up our small, local history museum and cultural center.  One of the 
> things we want to do is replace the 30-year-old carpet.  I've 
> struggled to keep the carpet clean in two different small museums over 
> the last decade and during those years, I've talked to people who are 
> taking the carpet out of the their homes and installing wood floors.  
> So, I began thinking that maybe wood flooring would be better here.  I 
> was told by a visiting conservator, who thought wood would be 
> nice, that there is a pad that can be placed under the wood to absorb 
> sound.
>  
> I would like very much to know what other museums use.  I don't take 
> that much notice of the floor, but I'm thinging most of the museums 
> I've visited do not have carpet.  Would you please take a minute or 
> two to answer the following questions?
>  
> What kind of floor(s) does your museums have? 
> If wood, what kind?  Has anyone tried bamboo?
> How do you keep it from being scratched up by traffic.  (We're in 
> rural Alaska where little bits of sand and gravel are brought in on 
> boot soles all winter.)
>  
> Hoping to read what you have,
> Jerrie
>  
>  
>
>
> Jerrie Clarke
> Director
> Sheldon Museum
> PO Box 269
> Haines, AK 99827
> (907) 766-2366
> fax: (907) 766-2368
> www.sheldonmuseum.org
>
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