Museums in a noisy world: Safeguarding heritage through sound-sensitive design

Previous research on the potentially damaging effects of vibration on cultural heritage items has largely focused on earthquakes, road and rail traffic, and heavy construction activities. Comparatively little attention has been paid to vibration caused by sound, such as music. This is a growing concern in heritage contexts, especially as museums increasingly rely on income from events like concerts and receptions. The topic has recently gained significant traction, notably being presented at the Association of Noise Consultants (ANC) conferences in the UK in both 2024 and 2025. 

Anecdotal observations and scattered publications have reported instances of objects ‘wandering’ on shelves and bumping into each other. Most vibrations affecting museum collections are low-level and often arise from sources such as visitor movement, nearby traffic, or ongoing construction. Yet, cyclic displacements, even at low levels, can lead to gradual deformations, cracks, fatigue, and failure of sensitive artefacts. By analogy, light, also a form of vibration (but at frequencies beyond human perception), causes long-term damage through cumulative exposure, such as discoloration or fading. One common vibration-related issue reported in museums involves objects shifting on their mounts or shelves, often due to differential friction. A high-profile example includes a steatite Egyptian statuette at Manchester Museum that slowly revolved on its axis while displayed on a glass shelf. Such motion may lead to objects colliding or falling, especially when unprotected. 

A research study conducted in collaboration with the National Museum Cardiff and its senior preventive conservator, set out to investigate sound-induced vibrations. A data acquisition system was developed to simultaneously capture sound and vibration levels reaching display cases. The goal was to assess whether noise, particularly from musical events, could pose a risk to heritage items inside those cases. 

At the National Museum Cardiff, incidents of object displacement have been observed over many years. This includes fossil ichthyosaur ophthalmic plates sliding off their mounts and a fossilised rhinoceros tooth that fell and sustained damage as shown in the figure below, requiring repair. Following a musical event in the museum’s Main Hall, approximately 12 ceramic objects were noted to have shifted on their shelves in inaccessible display cases. Noting that these were in display in an inaccessible area during the event and thus, eliminating footfall as a possible cause. These events prompted increased attention toward sound as a vibration source, particularly during concerts. Staff also reported that motion-sensitive security systems were sometimes triggered by loud music. 

The study has revealed that vibrations were primarily induced by low-frequency sound below 250 Hz. Interestingly, louder music did not always correspond to higher vibration levels, and many artefacts likely have natural frequencies in the low-frequency range. While isolated loud events may not significantly threaten objects, cumulative exposure could result in fatigue-related damage. Mitigating such risks should not solely rely on reducing sound levels. In acoustics, addressing the issue at the source is often preferred. Filtering out problematic frequencies could reduce vibrations while maintaining the audience’s musical experience, unless bass instruments are central to the performance.

However, this approach doesn’t address other vibration sources like mechanical ventilation or road traffic. Therefore, damping at the object or mount level becomes necessary. This can include adding mass, lowering stiffness, or using shock-absorbing materials such as rubber isolation pads, or D3O materials. Sorbothane, a visco-elastic polymer, is proven to have lowered the natural frequency of an artefact and its mount in the British Museum to 1 Hz.

Still, every object and display case reacts differently to sound and vibration depending on its material, shape, inertia, and mounting. Furthermore, introducing damping materials requires caution, as some may emit volatile substances that could chemically harm artefacts. Relying on a critical vibration threshold alone is insufficient. Instead, understanding the duration and frequency of exposure is crucial, as fatigue damage can occur under stress levels below an object’s yield strength.

Sound travels through space and structure, through walls, glazing, floors, and ceilings. Therefore, noise control strategies can and should be supported by the building itself. Unfortunately, acoustic performance is often overlooked in museum design, especially in historical buildings, common throughout Europe.

An acoustically sensible museum building design or refurbishment could include: 

• Control of external noise ingress via building envelope, foundation and floor slab design;
• Acoustically appropriate room geometry (i.e. to minimise standing waves);
• Sound insulation through high performance glazing and acoustically sealed doors;
• Vibration control by using floating floors or isolation mounts;
• Acoustic finishes to control reverberation;
• Strategic arrangement of exhibit areas relative to other spaces and potential noise and vibration sources.  

While many older museums may struggle to retrofit these features, new museums, particularly those being developed in the Middle East, are uniquely positioned to integrate acoustics at the design stage. This forward-thinking approach not only preserves cultural artefacts but also ensures that public programming and events can coexist with conservation goals safeguarding heritage for generations to come.