Determining correct temperature and relative humidity ranges for historic house museums
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Date
2006
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MA in Historic Preservation
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To view a complete copy of this thesis please contact Goucher College Special Collections & Archives at archives@goucher.edu or (410) 337-6075.
Abstract
This thesis undertakes the task of answering the question, “Can
historic house museum administrators provide proper temperature and
relative humidity levels in the interior museum environment for the
optimum preservation of collections and the thermal comfort of human
beings without causing harm to the historic structure?” The hypothesis
presumes there is a correct range of temperature and relative humidity
for balancing the environmental needs of the historic building and the
collections. It also presumes that the environmental needs of the users
do not have to be in conflict with those of the building and collections.
The thesis first researches the evolution of the “Museum
Environmental Standard” and modern day guidelines for museum
environments. It then explores the basic psychrometric principles of
temperature and relative humidity and applies these principles to typical
building and collections materials responses to their environments, as
well as to the basic functions of heating, ventilating, and air conditioning
(HVAC) systems. These research findings thus set the stage for exploring
the specific environmental needs of and potential conflicts between the
historic building, the collections, and the users of the historic house
museum. Selected case studies provide further opportunity to observe
actual environmental conditions and environmental control issues at
several historic house museums within the context of the psychrometric
principles and the information gathered from the thesis research.
Based upon the research findings and case study analyses, the
thesis draws some practical but not totally unexpected conclusions
about the temperature and relative humidity levels necessary for
balancing the needs of the building, collections, and users. However, the
overall thesis conclusion regarding the use of HVAC systems in historic
house museums may come as a surprise to many, but will serve to
refocus historic house museum administrators’ priorities for establishing
environmental control parameters at their individual sites.