Being a Collections staffer means you spend a large part of your day indoors and inside windowless rooms. Just as the wrong kind of light can damage artifacts in the galleries, it can also affect items as we are working with them in our offices and prep areas. So any objects being cataloged, researched, cleaned, moved, numbered, etc., have to be protected from damaging light, no matter where they are in the museum.
All our storage areas and workrooms stay dark unless we need to access them. And of course, no windows. Research has shown that even limited amounts of light can have a cumulative effect on some types of artifacts. So we store those objects in cabinets and boxes to help minimize exposure. All the light tubes and bulbs are also covered with UV filters.
Working without windows can be tough on our crew, so many of our volunteers and staff take advantage of our 500 acre park and the museum courtyards during their lunch breaks. It isn’t unusual to see staff walking the trails, basking in the sun or taking their time traveling between buildings.
During a recent foray out into the waning afternoon light, I captured this image. The courtyard can be used by museum visitors too. So the next time you are here, stop by to enjoy the view. It may look a bit different because the benches get shifted around from time to time. The colors change with the leaves and blooming plants. And the number of people basking in the sun varies from day to day. But it always looks great. If you are looking for a place to hold a wedding, party or other event, it is also available as one of our rental areas. We are happy to share.
Thanks for reading.