Museum conservators deploy timed lightboxes to protect fragile magic lantern slides in Sound and Vision galleries
In the Sound and Vision galleries, the Science and Media Museum has launched a new display system to conserve its recently obtained collection of magic lantern slides. These delicate slides, utilized with early projectors from the 17th century to the mid-20th century, are vulnerable to light damage. To address this, conservators designed a push-button mechanism that activates a UV-free LED lightbox for a brief 10 seconds, allowing guests to appreciate the intricate hand-painted images while reducing harm. The museum acquired these slides in September 2023, which were subsequently cleaned, assessed for condition, and digitized. Eight large slides have been framed using conservation-grade mount board and acrylic sheets, ensuring both preservation and public accessibility to these historical treasures.
Key facts
- Magic lantern slides are light-sensitive objects vulnerable to irreversible damage from constant exposure.
- The Science and Media Museum's Sound and Vision galleries feature a display with a push-button-activated LED lightbox on a 10-second timer.
- The lightbox uses UV-free LED lighting to minimize conservation risks while enhancing visibility.
- A large collection of magic lantern slides was acquired by the museum in September 2023.
- The slides are images between two layers of glass, used with projectors from the 17th to mid-20th century.
- Conservation work included cleaning, condition reporting, digitization, and mounting between conservation-grade materials.
- The display allows visitors to see material details under ambient light and full image content when illuminated.
- Curators and conservators collaborated to select objects for storytelling while ensuring display safety.
Entities
Artists
- unknown artist
Institutions
- Science and Media Museum