Exhibits and Archives

Climate and light are both factors that influence the preservation of museum exhibits and archive material as they cause damage by accelerating chemical and biological degradation processes.

The aim in exhibitions with different works of art is to achieve temperatures of 18-22 °C, relative air humidities around 50 %RH with little fluctuations and lighting of 50 to 200 lux, depending on the sensitivity of the materials. Measurement and monitoring of relative air humidity and room temperature are therefore of central importance in exhibition rooms. Dew point is also an important parameter for climate control.

Measurement of CO₂ in indoor air is not a conservational requirement as it is no threat to the works of art and exhibits. The CO₂ content in exhibition rooms is, however, an important criterion for air quality and hygiene, and thus for visitor satisfaction and working conditions for staff.

The challenge in archives lies in detecting the different micro-climates and in determining relevant measuring points for so-called mapping. The mapping results are used to determine the optimum locations for permanently installed humidity and/or temperature measuring instruments. Depending on the application ‒ for example, sample archives/repositories ‒ monitoring of water activity can also be an issue.

Rotronic offers humidity, temperature and CO₂ measuring instruments for monitoring of archives and exhibitions. The flexible and continuous RMS monitoring system stores necessary data from digital and analog measuring and monitoring instruments reliably and triggers alarms automatically when climate conditions become critical.

Humidity Calculator (Online Tool)

Humidity

Temperature

Dew Point

CO2