I will pull together information for references or links I receive in responses over the next couple of weeks and send it to the group.  It won’t be until the week after next though because I’m going on vacation next week.  Yippee.

 

Elizabeth

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Lucy Sperlin
Sent: Wednesday, August 11, 2004 11:25 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Exhibit environment guidelines or recommendations

 

I’m anxious to see any replies to Elizabeth Moore’s inquiries. I am asked frequently where to find those “industry standards” and so far, like Elizabeth, I haven’t found them in any concise form. And here in the west there is usually need to interpret them for different conditions, which still leaves me without that ‘weight of formal publication’ that she mentioned.

 

So I also wonder, if such a guide exists, does it deal with climate differences. Also, does it have ranges that would take into consideration climatic differentials, both for objects that stay in a climate that is at an extreme of temp or Rh and/or objects that travel from one to another.  For instance, if a traveling exhibit with sensitive materials comes from the humid east to the dry west (in summer that is –I think it reverses in winter) one could know maximum toleration for change in Rh or temp over x amount of time.  The climate here is great for humans, but does have a broad range of temperature both seasonally and in a 24 hr. period.  I’ve found that most materials with guidelines are valid for the climate where the author is, but assume everyone else is in the same climate.  (During my years in Oregon, I eventually realized that material coming out of Great Britain was better to use for what I was dealing with than material written for U.S. east coast climates.)

 

Lucy Sperlin

Chico, CA

 

 

 

 

Dear Listers,

 

We currently use the AAM Standard Facilities Report to provide information about our exhibit areas and also request that it be filled out and provided to us from other museums wishing to borrow exhibits from us.  The SFR provides the questions, but no guidelines or recommendations for interpreting the answers provided. 

 

I did not see any guidelines or recommendations for environmental conditions for various kinds of exhibits (object-based, non-object based, art, natural history, etc.) on the AAM website.  We have several books and references discussing environmental concerns.  There is no shortage of relevant literature, it’s just that most of it gives you lots of information and then you are left come up with your own guidelines.  We have come up with our own guidelines but would like something that has the weight of a formal publication behind it to distribute to our exhibit designers and exhibit team members. While every museum will have different concerns and needs, surely there must be some concise set of “industry standards” that we could use.  I would think this would be especially useful for small museums or historic sites who don’t have trained collections or conservation staff.

 

My question is this:  Does anyone know of a single document that gives environmental recommendations or guidelines for exhibits?  If so, where can I get a copy?  I’m not on the exhibits group from AAM so I don’t know if that group has prepared something or not.

 

Thank you in advance for any insight you may have.

 

Elizabeth

 

Dr. Elizabeth A. Moore

Curator of Collections and Archaeology

Virginia Museum of Natural History

1001 Douglas Avenue

Martinsville, VA  24112

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(276) 666-8634