Museum of Art
University of Oregon
The Museum of Art on the University of Oregon campus is a grand building filled with spectacular exhibits of Asian and Northwest art. 

While visiting the Museum, we noticed that there were significant changes in lighting levels throughout the various spaces. Particularly, on the second floor we experienced a lapse in time while our eyes had to adjust between the brightly lit landing area and the dark Chinese Gallery. This posed the basis of our case study. We were interested in understanding the connection between the lighting levels of the staircase, the landing and the main gallery space.

Inquiry Questions
Is the lobby too dark?
Is it too bright?
Is the color contrast between rooms too large?
Is it easy for your eyes to adjust when traveling through the spaces?
Does the floor finish produce glare?
Why are the windows covered?

Hypothesis
The change in lighting levels is too great for visual comfort between the entry sequence and the main gallery.

Photos of Museum