Museum Lighting

This course will look at aspects of museum lighting related to conservation, visibility, display, access and sustainability.

On the first day we will explore:

• Defining and measuring light levels and light exposure

• The effect of light on objects and the assessment of light sensitivity

• Light levels needed for visibility and comfortable viewing

• The development of current lighting guidelines

On the second day we will build on these topics and cover:

• Value and significance as factors in decision-making

• Sustainability in museum lighting

• Developing balanced lighting strategies

• Lighting for conservation and access

David Saunders is an Honorary Research Fellow at the British Museum where he was formerly Head of Conservation and Scientific Research. He is also an Honorary Researcher at the National Gallery London, where he began his career. David is author of Museum Lighting: A Guide for Conservators and Curators, written while a guest scholar at the Getty Conservation Institute (GCI) in 2016 and the inaugural Getty Rothschild Fellow at the Getty and Waddesdon Manor in 2017. He returned to the GCI in 2024 as a guest scholar to focus on issues of sustainability in museum lighting. He was a visiting professor at UCL from 2016 to 2021 and at NYU in 2018 and 2021.

You will need an internet connection with a device that supports Zoom. You do not need a microphone or camera to attend.
This course will not be recorded.