April 27-29, 2026
4th International Scientific and Technical Conference «Light in Museum»
Results of the Conference 2026
The 4th International Scientific International and technical Conference “Light in Museum” was successfully held in St. Petersburg from April 27 to 29, 2026.
The conference "Light in Museum" was founded by the State Hermitage Museum and the Scientific and Technical Council of the Lighting Industry of the Russian Federation in 2018. The event was organized by the State Hermitage Museum and the CIE Russian National Committee. Over three intensive days, the Conference featured 32 presentations and welcomed 400 registered participants, 180 of whom attended in person.
The Conference was opened by its two founders:
- Mikhail Piotrovsky, Doctor of Historical Sciences and General Director of the State Hermitage Museum;
- Georgy Boos, Candidate of Technical Sciences, Chairman of the Scientific and Technical Council of the Russian Lighting Industry, and Head of the Lighting Engineering Department at the National Research University "MPEI".
A video greeting was delivered by Dr. Diana Wernisch (Austria), Secretary General - International Commission on Illumination (CIE) with the presentation of CIE activity and publications relevant to museum lighting. Following this, the plenary session featured a keynote address on integrative lighting in museums by Anthony Bergen (Australia), President‑elect of the CIE (2027-2031). The key conclusion: integrative museum lighting must balance visual perception, visitors' circadian rhythms, and artifact conservation, necessitating a rethinking of dark exhibition designs and new standards addressing spectral content and the Hunt effect.
The following presentations showcased the full breadth and diversity of current topics, including:
- pressing issues in lighting standardization;
- practical cases of integrating light into the exhibitions of the Moscow Kremlin Museums, the Tretyakov Gallery, and the State Hermitage Museum;
- light dynamic and innovative light installations at Gatchina;
- the practice of reconstructing historical lighting.
The first day concluded with a performance by the St. Petersburg Saxophone Orchestra - – the first ensemble in the city's history to use saxophones as its only wind instruments. The program featured masterpieces of world classical music: Johann Strauss II's playful overture to Die Fledermaus, Antonín Dvořák's lively Slavonic Dances, Pyotr Tchaikovsky's spirited Spanish Dance from Swan Lake, and Maurice Ravel's hypnotic Boléro.
The second day was held at the Hermitage Storage Facility. Presentations focused primarily on lighting techniques and technologies, including infrared and hyperspectral analysis, digital twins, lighting control systems, scenography, and exhibit preservation.
The final day was dedicated to lighting design and engineering. Speakers presented successful projects from Almaty, Shukhov Park, and New Chersonesus. They also discussed lighting calculation methods, slide mapping, lighting scenarios, and the importance of preserving photographic documents.
In person attendees enjoyed two special bonuses: masterclasses from the companies aledo and Arlight, as well as daily tours of the open storage route and the technical and engineering services of the Hermitage Storage Facility.
We extend our sincere thanks to all speakers, participants, and sponsors for their time, attention, questions, and active engagement.
Photos from the conference are available at the following link.
Video
FIRST DAY
SECOND DAY
THIRD DAY
Contacts
The Conference Organizing Committee coordinator:
Julia Glorio, glorio@cie-russia.ru
Phone: +7 985 428 20 00
The organizers of the Conference
By support
Sponsors
