Re: Lighting grid in a basement storage area:

Our 1989 museum administration (& storage) building had a lighting system
installed in the storage area before we had  planned the storage system. At
the time we did not know what type of shelving we would have as we had to
wait for the funding for the shelving to see what we could afford to do.

As it turned out, we were well funded and purchased mobile shelving, pallet
racking and a variety of shelving types and cabinets. The mobile shelving
causes an interesting situation when the shelving is moved, as one gets
lighter and darker aisles. This is noticeable but has not been a major
problem. This shelving also extends upwards to within a couple of feet of
the ceiling to maximize our storage capacity. This also reduces the coverage
by the lighting system.

My suggestion is to plan it with a scale 3-D model. It is fairly simple to
cut blocks to scale out of ethafoam. Don't forget to allow for obstructions
that hang down from the ceiling such as duct work, light fixtures, pipes and
beams. A 'Plexiglas' ('Perspex' to our British colleagues) sheet to lay over
top of your 3-D room(s) model can have your lighting system marked on it and
3-D duct work attached to its underside.

I also learned that architects tend to plan emergency lighting for empty
rooms. When you add shelving, pallet racking, tall cabinets, and other
furniture, it can mask the emergency lighting.

If one is so inclined, one could have fun with fibre optics to simulate the
lighting in the scale model.

As a Curator who has moved collections into new museum buildings at a couple
of institutions, the most important lesson I can share with you is to turn
past the blueprint drawings that show the basic 'empty' rooms, and look
carefully at the plumbing and electrical drawings.  These show the clutter
that your new building will have before you move in. Your dreams of straight
walls with no obstructions will be dashed as you start to notice vents,
emergency lighting, thermostats, fire extinguishers, light switches, heating
ducts, and water pipes (for incoming clean water as well as drains from
toilets and sinks). Be especially vigilant for water pipes in your storage
areas and try to have water using facilities such as toilets and sinks
positioned in the building away from, and not over, artifact storage areas.
While you are at it, try to avoid having any flat roofs if you live in a wet
climate.

Colin Macgregor Stevens,
Curator,
Burnaby Village Museum,
Burnaby, British Columbia, CANADA

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 ===========================================================================
=========
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
> Behalf Of joanne kluessendorf
> Sent: January 20, 2001 14:27
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: electric grid
>
>
> I am involved in the design of a new museum building, and could use some
> advice on a few topics:
>
> 1. Does anyone have experience with a lighting grid in the ceiling and
> embedded in a concrete floor?  What is the best spacing for the grid
> pattern to obtain flexibility for exhibit lighting but remaining
> cost-conscious?  Are there any special considerations that we should
> consider?
>...
> -Dr. Joanne Kluessendorf
> Dept. of Geology, University of Illinois
> 1301 W. Green St., Urbana, IL 61801  USA
> phone: (217) 367-5916
> fax: (217) 244-4996; e-mail: [log in to unmask]
>
> =========================================================

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