When it comes to preserving material, buildings and structures with historic significance, maintaining stable and suitable levels of temperature and humidity is vital. Fluctuating or unsuitable levels of temperature and humidity can exacerbate material decay and encourage damp, mould and pests – all of which can cause serious damage to collections.
Gathering data provides the key to success in any environmental monitoring programme; with knowledge of the conditions which are affecting collections, informed measures can be taken to optimise the environment for the better preservation of historic, sensitive and valuable materials.
Tinytag data loggers have been gathering temperature and humidity data for 35 years and are utilised by a number of institutions across the museums and heritage sector. Their tried and tested technology has evolved over the years, but reliable data collection and ease of use have remained priorities across the history of their development.
Environmental monitoring made easy
Tinytags are available with USB, Radio or LAN connection, meaning that there is a Tinytag that will suit your specific monitoring requirements. Features include:
- Long battery life – Tinytag data loggers can be left to record for extended periods, allowing comprehensive environmental profiles to be compiled.
- Discreet design – compact size and optional grey casing means that Tinytags are unobtrusive additions in public environments and exhibit areas.
- External probes – loggers with probe sensors are available for accessing sealed display cases or hard-to-reach areas.
- Digital displays – certain models have digital displays, allowing for spot-readings as well as long-term recording.
- Alarms – configurable alarms can be set up to alert when readings fall out of a user-defined range. Radio and LAN loggers can also send alerts via email or SMS.
- Easy data analysis – Tinytag Explorer – software specially designed for use with Tinytags – includes features such as Graph Overlays for easy analysis of data.
See results with Tinytags
Tinytag data loggers are used by a number of museums and heritage sites to aid vital conservation measures and for energy saving initiatives.
HMS Victory
With Tinytag data loggers, daily, weekly, and seasonal changes which affect museum environments can be monitored and identified, enabling responsive action to be taken.
Continuous monitoring using Tinytags has benefited The HMS Victory Conservation Project at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. Tinytags helped to identify that outside weather conditions were the driving factor behind changes in conditions on board the ship, and the conservation team are now able to take pre-emptive measures to adjust conditions on the ship in the face of difficult weather
The Canal and River Trust
Radio data loggers are a versatile solution for sites which require multiple monitoring points or for when data needs to be viewed immediately and remotely from a central location.
The Canal and River Trust use Tinytag Radio data loggers across two sites to monitor temperature and humidity levels. The radio system allows them to view data from both sites simultaneously on a central computer.
National Museum Cardiff
Using Tinytags allows for a flexible approach to data collection: loggers can easily be moved between locations to allow data to be gathered from different areas, or more units can be added to a system over time as required.
The versatility of Tinytags means that they can easily be applied in different applications. National Museum Cardiff used Tinytags as part of a programme to improve energy savings by reducing air conditioning costs, while simultaneously monitoring the effects that changes had on conditions where collections were held.
For further case studies and more information on how Tinytags have aided environmental monitoring in the museums and heritage sector, visit our website at: www.tinytag.info/applications/museums
Tinytag data loggers are designed and manufactured in the UK by Gemini Data Loggers (UK) Ltd.
