The lighting

system should
provide
appropriate level
of illuminance at
all times of day.
An angle of
incidence of 30
o

to the vertical is
considered as a
good guideline as
it
handlesilluminanc
e, reflected glare
and frame
shadows
optimally.

Proper lighting
must be selected
for sensitive
materials and
should have
limited exposure
tolight.

Exposure to
ultraviolet and
visible infrared
light can cause
fading and
damage of
objects.Differenc
e between natural
lighting and
artificial lighting
DAY-
LIGHTING ARTIF
ICIAL LIGHTING
Superior color
rendition
Light is based
on a single
colorContinuous
spectral curve I
ntermittent spe
ctral curveLively
natural environ
ment Can be ma
nipulated as per
needU-V
radiation
corrodes
sensitive
objectsdisplaye
dIt is non-
corrosiveIt is a
planning constrai
nt Freedom in pl
anning
Outdoor exhibits
Some sculptures
or installations,
some works of art
are intended to
be exhibited
outdoor because
oftheir size. For
the majority of
such objects, an
inner courtyard
or small patch of
garden is
normallyenough
.
Outdoor
illumination at
dusk or at night
basically has the
same effect as
illumination with
directionallight in
an exhibition
room. But it also
gives exhibits an
appearance they
do not have in
daylight:
theartificial
lighting creates
new structures,
reinventing the
object in a game
of light and
shadow. The
bestway to
determine the
perfect location
for a mobile
spotlight or flood
is to conduct
trials

with light
frombelow, from
below and from
the side, from
the side, from
above, from above
and from the
side, or
evenbounced off
another surface.
Every solution has
a charm of its
own. For lighting
from below,
recessedground
floods are the
alternative to
spots. Highly
focused beams
are by far the
first favorite;
withillumination
from below and
some other
configurations,
the beam spread
can be greater.
Day lighting
design strategies
It was generally
observed that the
greatest
transition
occurred between
the exterior and
the interior ofthe
buildings.
Therefore,
visitors should be
able to walk
between
transitional
spaces with
differentlighting
levels, in order to
help the eye to
adapt to display
levels, before
entering the
exhibition
space.In a
museum lighting
project it is also
important to
consider the
natural light
experience, often
referredas more
satisfactory than
artificial light.
Therefore, we
should aim for a
proper balance
between softand
directional light,
both in isolated
objects and in the
common space. An
overall diffuse
light withdirectly
lit pieces would
probably produce
the most
satisfactory
effect. On the
other hand, since
the eyeis
naturally
attracted to the
brightest point in
its field of vision,
the object should
be brighter than
thewall, the
supporting area
brighter than
upper and lower
surfaces, and also
the supporting
surface
lighterthan the
floor.Considering
the fact that
temperature was
referred as an
important issue in
the summer, and
in order toavoid
high levels of day
lighting or solar
gains, natural
light use should
be applied with
special care.
Onabove-lit
galleries, sun light
could be
controlled with
passive shading
techniques and
ventilation,
insteadof blinds
and shades,
benefiting from
lower installation
and maintenance
costs in the long
run.Moreover,
instead of trying
a fixed
illuminance, one
could opt to work
with an annual
amount or
theequivalent
exposure, to
establish a link
between exterior
weather and the
museum interior
conditions.Finally,
in museums with
abundant views,
which usually
present lateral
windows, it is
necessary
toreduce the
illuminance levels
in order to avoid
glare. With this
purpose,
different
protection
systemsshould be
provided between
the upper and
lower areas of
windows, allowing
at the same time
outsideviews and
an even
distribution of
light.I.

P. Boyce, (2003)
Human factors in
Lighting, Lighting
Research Centre,
Taylor & Francis,
London.II.

PLEA2006 - The
23rd Conference
on Passive and
Low Energy
Architecture,
Geneva,
Switzerland,6-8
September 2006
Objectives
o

To study the
techniques of
natural lighting in
museum
o

To show a
relationship betw
een light and built
spaceNatural
light is very
important for
museum. It
increases the
quality of
collections which
are kept
fordisplay. With
the use of natural
light, we can
minimize the cost
to be paid for
active energy. In
thepresent
context of global
warming, it helps
promoting
sustainable design
and the concept
of
greenarchitectur
e.Light plays a
very important
role to built a
space and
enhancing its
quality. A built
space is
directlyrelated
with the
psychology of
people. Quality of
light in a enclosed
space can reflect
human
behavior.Light
with same
brightness and
intensity may or
may not be
pleasing
depending upon
the persons
view.So we must
properly consider
light while
designing spaces
museums.
Background
Lighting in museums and art galleries plays a key role in a visitor's ability to perceive and enjoy both
theartifacts in a museum and the building in total. A lack of consideration for the visual comfort of
visitorscan potentially handicap an individual's ability to view displays. Dramatic variations in light levels
fromexhibit to exhibit, or from exterior to interior, can affect a visitor's ability to appreciate artwork

. Its

because the human eye requires several minutes to adjust to large changes in light levels.
Sharplycontrasting light levels between a bright entry and a dark gallery can be very disturbing, and
potentiallyeven painful.Some museums in Kathemandu Valley

were visited. Im not very satisfied with the present lighting

scheme. In Patan museum, there is seen a very less use of natural light. The collections,
paintingsdisplayed may be enhanced. The very use of artificial light shows too much consumption of
energy. It isoften seen that the artifacts displayed in artificial light with the combination of natural light
is not bad,but we should try to minimize the use of artificial light as far as possible. In Patan museum,
natural lightmay be introduced through construction of new windows. The new windows constructed
may be in sucha way that it will not give bad look. The traditional norms should be strictly followed. In
the name ofinserting light, one cannot remove the entire roof. Any kind of activity that would harm our
culturalheritage should be avoided. The renovation should be carried out in such a way that the
originalityshould not be destroyed.In other museums like Chhauni, we can observe a very good natural
lighting but not managed properly.In some cases there are direct illuminations which may result glare
and deterioration of displayed items.Daylight characteristics cannot be replaced by artificial means. The
museum gathers several functionsthat may be improved by the use of day lighting. The correct use of
natural light in museums is animportant factor in terms of shaping the architectural space and visually
enriching the displays,contributing to the interpretation of collections. Also, it is possible to create visual
conditions that arecomfortable, efficient and secure to the visitors of museums.Moreover, a strategy
sustained on the use of natural resources can contribute to the reduction ofenergy waste, restraining
the maintenance costs with museum lighting and the negative impactassociated with consumption,
namely CO

2
emissions. In a museum, spatial limitation of light and itsintensity control are very important.
Nevertheless, this task becomes more difficult when the lightingsource is sunlight. Hence, daylight may
sometimes be regarded as a hindrance for lighting museums, ifwe consider the combination of daily and
seasonal variations of light quantity, together with otheratmospheric factors.I choose this particular
topic as directed studies topic because it is going to help in my thesis project.This study benefits me
every aspect. I understand the value and importance natural light in museums. Asmentioned above,
there is not a better museum in Nepal and I will try my best to design a goo