Friday, July 28, 2006

Beating the heat at the Field

http://www.suntimes.com/output/business/cst-fin-field27.html
Article about how the Field Museum in Chicago is taking measures against the heat, during the Tutankhamun exhibition: "The centrifugal chiller cooling system brought relief to exhibit curators throughout the 87-year-old, 1.25 million square foot institution by providing the one thing crucial to the preservation of priceless artifacts: year-round temperature control. Tut's caretakers require the exhibit to maintain a temperature between 68 and 70 degrees with 45 percent to 50 percent humidity, 24 hours a day. These ranges ensure the resin-soaked linen bandages covering Tut's salt-and baking-soda-treated leathery skin don't crack from climate-related expansion and contraction. But Tut isn't the only one with sensitive skin. There is Mfuwe, the largest man-eating lion on record, and flocks of North American birds, not to mention paper-and-cloth artifacts that also require temperature and moisture stability."

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

These ranges ensure the resin-soaked linen bandages covering Tut's salt-and baking-soda-treated leathery skin don't crack from climate-related expansion and contraction.

Wow. I must have missed an important room in the exhibition because I sure didn't see that.