Is artificial light harmful to mounts?

[Charles de Ribeau]

In the most recent issue of Safari magazine, I saw an ad for a product that's supposed to protect taxidermy from being harmed by natural light (sunlight) and from indoor lighting. I've long been aware of the danger posed by UV rays and have taken precautions in my trophy to keep the sunlight exposure close to zero. However, in my trophy room, I have a lot of lighting. Some of it is incandescent on tracks (60 watt) and the rest are recessed LEDs. (I plan to replace the incandescent with LEDs as the right size bulbs become available.)

So, my question for you folks is, is the artificial lighting going to damage my mounts?

 

[BRICKBURN]

Direct indoor light will cause fading in pigmentation.
Heat, relative humidity changes from too much light are not good either.

 

[Charles de Ribeau]

Is there a solution?

 

[Charles de Ribeau]

The change to LED will eliminate any heat problem. I have ceiling fans to reduce the problem of heat buildup toward the ceiling (hot water heat). Relative humidity doesn't normally drop below 35%. Room temp is 60 - 70 F.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Is there a solution?

Indirect lighting and proper temperature and humidity control.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Your trophies will likely outlast you. I do not know what museums do.

 

[Charles de Ribeau]

At this point, I don't know how I could do indirect lighting in the room. When I built the room, I got some input from the lighting guy at the Provincial Museum in Victoria, BC. I suppose I could try to contact him again (coworker with the son of a former neighbor - pretty tenuous thread).

When I die, or go into a memory care unit, probably only 3, possibly 4 of my mounts will have any value to anyone else. I have a monster bison (don't know now, but it was #25 B&C), a B&C class Alaska Yukon moose, a very good elk and a nice mule deer. Not sure about the giant mountain lion that I took last year - I don't have that mount yet. Beyond that, my family will probably have to pay someone to haul the stuff to the dump - even an incredible blue wildebeest.

 

[BRICKBURN]

At this point, I don't know how I could do indirect lighting in the room. When I built the room, I got some input from the lighting guy at the Provincial Museum in Victoria, BC. I suppose I could try to contact him again (coworker with the son of a former neighbor - pretty tenuous thread).
.............

That is certainly some expertise I would access.
You talked to him once, he'll likely be happy to help you again.

 

[gizmo]

No UV light and 70% humidity is suggested. You don't want it too dry as things will dry out too much and crack.

 

[Charles de Ribeau]

You might be able to maintain 70% humidity in Texas, but here in Colorado that's not going to happen. When we first moved here, many, many years ago, we used to laugh ourselves silly when we would hear people complain about it being "muggy" when the humidity got up to 40%. A year or two later we found ourselves doing the same thing.

I suppose that in addition to the guy at the museum in BC, I should talk with my taxidermist.

 

[gizmo]

Well if whatever percent with a humidifier is all you can do then that certainly beats 10%. Just make sure it doesn't blow directly on a mount.