One of the our rooms will have 2 coats of polyurethane added to the wood floor in the very near future.  Many framed oil portraits are hung on the walls of this room, the bottom of the lowest frame is about 10 feet above the floor, the top of the highest is about 20 feet above the floor (we have very tall ceilings.)  Ideally, we would move them out of the way during the work, but we do not have the money, staff, or space to do so.  In the past we have "slipcovered" the paintings with polyethylene sheeting to protect them from dust and fumes, but this is also problematic since the plastic comes into direct contact with the gilded frames,  can create a very humid microenvironment, and still exposes the paintings to possible damage .  I wonder which situation is worse for them, covering them in plastic for a week, or leaving them exposed to polyurethane fumes (which sink to the floor since they are heavier than air) for 36 to 48 hours?  Any advice would be appreciated.

Margaret Lyman, Collections Manager
Mütter Museum of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia
19 South 22nd Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103-3097
215-563-3737x244
215-561-6477 (fax)
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