Environmental Monitoring for Museums, Collections & Estates

There is no single relative humidity setting suitable for every museum store. A range of 40–60% RH is commonly used for many collections, but appropriate limits depend on the materials, their condition and environmental history. Some objects require more specific conditions.

Agree targets and acceptable fluctuations with your conservator, and monitor conditions where the collections are stored, including any cases or cabinets with a separate microclimate. Loan agreements may specify additional requirements.

Temperature and relative humidity should be recorded automatically throughout the day and night, at intervals short enough to capture changes relevant to your collection. The recording interval should reflect the risks, the space and any lender requirements.

Recording frequency is different from download frequency. A logger downloaded quarterly may hold frequent readings, but those readings cannot support a timely response until someone reviews them. Connected monitoring makes readings and configured alerts available between routine reviews, helping your teams respond sooner.

Sometimes, but wireless or removable equipment is not automatically exempt. In England, listed building consent is required for alterations that affect a building’s special architectural or historic interest. The proposed locations, fixings, cabling and effect on historic fabric all matter.

Freestanding sensors may avoid alterations, while drilling or attaching equipment to sensitive surfaces needs careful assessment. Check the proposed installation with your local planning authority’s conservation officer before work begins. Different consent arrangements apply elsewhere in the UK.

For a loan covered by the Government Indemnity Scheme, expect to demonstrate suitable environmental conditions and arrangements for monitoring them throughout the loan. Published conditions include monitoring temperature, relative humidity and light levels in the space containing the object.

Lenders may also request pre-loan environmental records and a facilities report, with additional requirements for particular objects. Confirm the required recording period, limits and reporting format early: there is no single monitoring report that guarantees approval for every loan.

There is no reliable sensor count based on floor area alone. Coverage should reflect the gallery’s layout, collection locations and environmental differences, including separate rooms, display cases and areas affected by sunlight, external walls or heating and ventilation.

An initial survey and baseline monitoring help identify where additional sensors are needed. We work with your teams to establish suitable coverage, so meaningful differences in conditions are captured rather than assuming one reading represents the whole gallery.

Battery life depends on the sensor model, what it measures, how frequently it records and transmits, and the conditions in which it operates. There is no single battery-life figure across a mixed monitoring system.

We confirm the manufacturer’s expected battery life for the selected devices and configuration during scoping, alongside replacement requirements and maintenance arrangements.

Yes, in most cases. Our platform can incorporate a wide range of sensors, provided the manufacturer supports third-party integration. Hundreds of sensor models are already configured, and our developers can build additional integrations where needed.

We review your existing equipment and its integration options before recommending what can be retained and where additional monitoring would be useful.

Yes. Historical monitoring data can be imported from CSV files, preserving your original readings and timestamps. The import tool matches your data to the relevant sensors and parameters, with a preview to check everything before importing.

Once imported, historical records can be viewed alongside live readings in graphs, reports and exports, helping you maintain a continuous environmental record.

Yes. Manage multiple sites in one platform, with a clear structure for each site’s buildings, rooms, display cases and collection objects.

Compare conditions across locations and report across your estate, while tailoring access and alerts so local teams see what matters to them and central teams retain wider oversight.

We work with your IT team to agree a straightforward setup that fits your existing network and security requirements. Together, we confirm connectivity, user access and any integrations you need, with clear guidance and support throughout.

Essential suits smaller teams or focused monitoring requirements, bringing together environmental readings, alerts and reporting with standard setup and support.

Portfolio suits organisations managing several sites or a wider sensor network, giving teams a shared view of conditions with capacity for more devices and users.

Enterprise supports larger estates and more complex requirements, with greater capacity, priority support and options for dedicated hosting and tailored integrations.

We work with you to choose the right fit for your locations, team and future plans. Additional asset management and managed support can be included where needed.

Your environmental record should remain useful beyond the life of a service agreement. Before you commit, we explain how your readings can be exported, which information is included and what happens when the service ends.

Export arrangements, any associated costs, and the periods for continued access, retention and deletion are set out in your agreement, so you can plan for continuity from the outset.

Start with the collection, space or deadline you need to support. Tell us about your locations, existing monitoring and any upcoming loans, exhibitions, building works or reporting requirements.

We will review your priorities with you and agree a suitable scope, including sensors, connectivity, installation, reporting and support.

Call 0208 222 8778 or visit the enquiry section below to arrange an initial discussion.