When it comes to planning a lighting design for areas like Museums, considering a flexible and creative lighting installation is important. With Museums being far more immersive now and visitors interacting deeply with the presentations, the lighting needs to be a huge part of this modern experience.
When creating scenes that are highlighting certain artefacts, the combination of high intensity direct narrow beamed light sources together with the wider beamed focused floodlights creates a wonderful and powerful contrast of light and dark. This lighting creation really makes the subject stand out whilst encourages the visitors to focus directly on the exhibit.
When using track mounted lighting spot and floodlights, it important to use a beam angle that creates the best solution to light the exhibit in the most dynamic way. It is also important to remember the positioning of the track is critical in creating a flexible and future proof lighting installation. If you consider the difference between lighting a large piece of artwork and a single sculpture placed in a centre of a room, you will require a subtle wall wash set up for the artwork whilst the sculpture will need a narrow beamed spotlight together with a subtle flood light ensuring the whole piece is lit sufficiently and effectively. There may also be a need for additional general lighting with of course the necessary emergency lighting.
Ensuring there is scope for product movement and flexibility is key to these installations, any future exhibition changes or overhauls that require a re-creation of new lighting scenarios need to be carried out with minimal disruption and allow for subtle changes in product quantities.
Using a combination of lighting that creates contrast between subjects and background ensures the journey around the museum is focused and exciting, allowing customers to interact with the curators’ ideology.
Whilst the displays and artwork are the main consideration, a good balance of dynamic lighting should be considered on the façade and surrounding external areas of the buildings, enticing customers and creating excitement around the attraction. Furthermore, dynamic and impressive yet sometimes subtle lighting should be considered within the entrances and circulation areas as installing lights that prepare customers for the forthcoming attractions is easily achievable with the right selection of products and lighting controls.
For more examples of Museum lighting cases studies by Dexta, click here.
