Volatile Organic Compound Emissions from Museum Showcase Materials

Abstract

A case-study carried out in a small museum -Fantoni House-Museum- in the North of Italy is described. In particular the volatile organic compounds inside and outside new showcases were analysed and the results were compared with laboratory measurements of some materials used to produce them. The Fantoni House- Museum is located in the family's homestead in Rovetta, a small village in the Pre- Alpine area not far from the town of Bergamo. In the 15th century the Fantonis started their activity in Rovetta as sculptors of wood and later of marble and occasionally worked as architects. Their studio and workshop went on in the same location for 400 years without interruption. Nowadays the museum has a rich collection of drawings, terracotta models, sketches, and architectural projects mainly realised in the period from the 16th to the 18th century. The museum's library holds ledger books and a large collection of letters, work contracts, and descriptions of artworks and production processes.