University of Illinois (Spurlock Museum)

The Spurlock Museum at the University of Illinois will develop an affordable, simple tool to measure the presence of ultraviolet (UV) light, which can cause irreparable damage to museum collections in galleries, work areas, and storage. The project team will develop and test multiple iterations of a UV meter prototype, to be assessed by at least three partners, including a small museum, a conservator, and a university museum. Partners will test and document the process to build their own UV meters based on the provided design. The project team also will develop tools to support calibration of the meter. The museum will publish findings, including the design files and assembly instructions, offering an affordable, open-source prototype to help museums of all sizes support the preservation of their collections through the collection of accurate data about the presence of UV light.