Measure
Bring current illuminance into the environmental record.
Museum light & UV monitoring
Understand light exposure over time, not just the reading right now.
LÆFAN brings illuminance, display period and collection context together so galleries can monitor both current light levels and cumulative exposure.
LuxLux hoursUV groundworkDisplay periodsCampaigns
Example display
Watercolour exhibition
61%
61,420lux hours used
38,580remaining
Illustrative cumulative allowance of 100,000 lux hours.
Cumulative exposure
Intensity and time belong together.
A low light level maintained for a long period still contributes to cumulative exposure. LÆFAN can use lux hours to help collections teams understand how much of a chosen display allowance has been used.
Accumulate
Calculate lux hours across the actual display period.
Compare
Review exposure against the allowance selected for that collection context.
Act
Use warnings and reports before the display period becomes difficult to manage.
Current light
See what the object is experiencing now.
Current lux still matters. LÆFAN keeps that reading attached to the gallery, display case or Campaign so it can be understood in context.
- Current illuminanceReview the most recent light reading for the monitored display.
- Display contextKeep the collection or exhibition period connected to the reading.
- HistoryReview how light changed through the day or across a longer display period.
DISPLAY ALLOWANCE100,000 lux hours
- Used
- 61,420
- Remaining
- 38,580
- Recent average
- 52 lux
- Illustrative remaining
- 74 days
Environmental Profiles
Exposure allowances should belong to the collection decision.
LÆFAN should not present one universal light allowance as though it applied to every object. The relevant Environmental Profile or Campaign records the expectation selected for the material and display.
Example figures on this page are illustrative rather than universal conservation limits.
Explore Environmental Profiles →Warnings before the allowance is exhausted
Make cumulative exposure visible before it becomes a problem.
Warnings can be based on the proportion of an agreed allowance used, for example 75%, 90% and 100%, while current-light excursions remain a separate issue.
75% review90% action soon100% allowance reached
Explore alerts & response →
Loans & exhibitions
Keep the exposure period connected to the temporary display.
Campaigns give a loan or exhibition its own purpose and date range without duplicating the permanent gallery history.
Gallery sensorDisplay case sensorManual light checks
→
LÆFANCumulative exposure→
CampaignWarningsEvidence
Questions
Museum light monitoring FAQs
Why monitor light in museums?
Light exposure can contribute to irreversible change in sensitive collection materials, so both current intensity and duration can matter.
What are lux hours?
Lux hours combine illuminance and time, allowing cumulative exposure to be reviewed across a display period.
Does LÆFAN impose one light limit for every collection?
No. Exposure expectations belong to the collection context recorded in an Environmental Profile or Campaign.
What about UV?
The monitoring architecture is designed to support UV-capable channels where suitable equipment is available, while light and UV remain distinct measurements.
Light monitoring with LÆFAN
Turn a lux reading into a useful display record.
See how LÆFAN can connect light exposure, exhibitions and retained evidence across your collection.