Smoke machines

Perks Kate <kate.perks<-at->sciencemuseum<.>ac<.>uk> writes

>I am looking in to smoke / haze machines and whether they are
>appropriate for a temporary exhibition (6 months to a year) in a
>museum space with objects of mixed media on open display nearby.
>The liquid is glycol in water.  Has anyone experience of using one
>of these and, if so, was there any impact on the objects?

It's been a number of years since I have been around a smoke machine
but two things pop into mind.  Since the liquid is turned into an
aerosol, any dissolved products, I wonder if there's more than
glycol) will deposit on other items in the space and potentially
other spaces depending on how the HVAC is set up.  Since there are
items nearby that are not in cases this may be a concern.  The other
thought that arose is that there may be an increase in humidity.
I'm not sure what size of smoke machine you're looking at, the size
of the space, and how the HVAC is set up but if it's pumping out
moisture you could see a noticeable rH rise, at least locally.

That being said, I think a smoke machine would certainly have been
an awesome thing to find in a Museum display when I was
younger--heck, even now.

William Shepherd
Collections Officer
Swift Current Museum
44 Robert Street West
Swift Current, Saskatchewan
S9H 4M9
306-778-4815
Fax: 306-778-4818


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