Use of data loggers in galleries to preserve works of art
Art galleries and climate control - one of the major challenges in facility management. A gallery needs to make visitors comfortable while ensuring the long-term safety and preservation of its artworks.
While people can easily adapt to a wide range of climate conditions, artworks are a different story. With paper objects, for example, the rate of deterioration doubles for every 14ºF increase in temperature. High humidity causes mold to form and many metals to corrode. Fluctuating humidity levels can also cause significant damage to organic materials such as wood, leather and ivory. Materials shrink or swell depending on the ambient humidity. This movement can cause objects to burst, warp or crack.
In 1998, the facility underwent a major expansion that increased its size from 8,000 square feet to 16,000 square feet. While this gave the center more space for its changing exhibit program, it also meant that climate monitoring would be required in more areas. "We use hygrothermographs to record temperature and humidity in the lower levels of the facility, but upstairs in the gallery itself we wanted to use something smaller and more aesthetically pleasing," explains gallery curator Liz Wylie.
Wylie consulted Sue Maltby, a local conservator who specializes in preventative conservation. Maltby, who already had experience with HOBO® data loggers, suggested Wylie implement two HOBO data loggers, one at each end of the 2,500 square foot gallery space. "The great thing about data loggers is that they're very small and not affected by vibration," she explains. "Hygrothermographs are very sensitive, and if twenty school kids come by on a tour, the arm of the hygrothermograph could move up and down."