Entertainment, Part Nine: Museums

Museums are a wonderful form of entertainment for chemically sensitive people because the interior air quality is constantly monitored to control air pollution. That means incredibly sterilized air to breathe!

Air quality is a museum priority because air pollution from the emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) cause corrosion, discoloration, surface instability, dust, distortion, and cracking of historical artifacts. Sources of VOCs are outdoor pollutants such as auto emissions and industrial contaminates or indoor pollutants such as interior decorations, display materials, artifacts and visitors. Plastics, wood, adhesives, polyurethane foams, carpeting, and paint can contaminate the air by offgassing peroxide, chlorine, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, carboxylic acid, formic acid, acetic acid, sulphur and plasticizers. Even breath vapor and perfumes from visitors are considered volatile organic compounds! We already knew that.

To reduce the rate of emissions of volatile organic compounds, museums control temperature, lighting, ventilation and humidity with high tech HVAC and air filtration systems. The J. Paul Getty Museum's air is exchanged and re-filtered six times per hour. Most museums also monitor the VOC levels of materials used for displays, lighting and other interior design elements. Even historical artifacts are tested for VOC offgassing and rejected by some museums if they don't meet air quality standards as these emissions may contaminate and corrode other artifacts.  

Air filtration and air quality control is good news for chemically sensitive people.  Museums, however, welcome all visitors and do not restricting the wearing of perfumes and scents (YET!) so take precautions. Go during off hours and less-popular days to avoid crowds. Don't be tempted by art openings or special events when perfume-wearing high society may attend. Avoid days offering free admission or school visiting days when smelly classroom groups will contaminate the galleries. Many museums are in urban areas so be cautious about traffic exhaust.

Museums to avoid at all costs:

Annette Green Perfume Museum (Los Angeles)

Museum of Fragrance (New York City)

Fragonard Perfume Museum (Paris)

Farina Fragrance Museum (Cologne)

Perfume Museum (Barcelona)

Dutch Museum of Perfume Bottles (Netherlands)

I love being in art museums alone. Wandering through the large galleries without distraction, having the artworks to myself without having to wait for someone to move out of the way, and not having to share the wonderful, clean air with stinky people is a treat. Museums are one of the few indoor entertainment venues with quality indoor air suitable  for someone with multiple chemical sensitivity.