Why are the lights so dim in the First Families exhibit?
Just like people require certain things to be comfortable in certain environments, so do old textiles. Temperature, humidity, and light are some of the things that we can and do control in order to slow down the rate of deterioration. The cases in this exhibit are specially designed to maintain a steady temperature and to regulate the amount of humidity inside. The lights, which are motion-activated, are kept at a low level to prevent bleaching or other damage to the fabrics.
