The Egyptian Museum in Turin, second in the world only to Cairo for the historical and artistic value of its content, has chosen Pilkington
OptiView™ Protect OW to safeguard its ancient Egyptian artefacts.
Completed as part of wider restoration works, the project has enabled the museum to exhibit twice the amount of visual material compared to previous displays, while providing an enhanced level of protection from both vandalism and ultraviolet rays.
Chosen due to its anti-reflective qualities, Pilkington OptiView™ Protect OW consists of two sheets of extra-clear glass with low iron content and high light transmission (more than 90 per cent), on which a special durable coating is applied, able to reduce visible light reflectance to less than 2 per cent.
Artefacts that date back more than 5,000 years can now be enjoyed without reflections typical of standard glass, allowing visitors maximum enjoyment of the ancient exhibits, while protecting them through time. Pilkington OptiView™ Protect OW is also able to block more than 99 per cent of UVA and UVB radiation, two ultraviolet rays that can cause the deterioration of artefacts in the long term.
In addition to the benefits of true color rendering, low light reflection and the blocking of UV rays, the thickness of the glass used in the Egyptian Museum (12.8 mm) adds another important benefit - protection of assets from vandalism, according to EN 12600 class 1(B)1 and EN 356 class P2A. It is able to resist considerable force, contributing substantially to the safety of the works exhibited.
For these reasons, 70 cabinets and 103 display cases for the new Egyptian Museum, using 2,200 square meters of this unique glass, were designed by Isolarchitetti. The exhibition spaces, which provide a clear, unobstructed view of artefacts, have improved the viewing experience of visitors and have created a must visit attraction for lovers of archaeology.
Photography: Pino & Nicola Dell'Aquila