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The existing installation was one-dimensional, and Jeroen Pijl, responsible for the exhibition lighting at The Museon, felt the 2700K color temperature used throughout had a “soporific” effect on visitors. The new lighting design was carried out by Joost de Beij, whose brief included emphasizing the architecture to a full extent, making navigation easier around the various exhibits, and maximizing a feeling of well-being among visitors. Nearly 400 track spots are mounted in display cabinets and at ceiling level, with ceiling and floor mounted wall-washing around all columns. A suspended band of colour-changing lighting snakes its way around the whole exhibition, providing its own brand of connectivity.

The XIM gen4 modules contain a wireless Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) board that can communicate with mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, or with PCs using the Xicato Control Panel software. The Control Panel allows The Museon to create multiple, secure networks containing a virtually unlimited number of lights, sensors, or switches, providing simple commissioning of the various lights and lighting groups, scene creation (e.g. for cleaning or service modes), and outputs settings for each fixture and exhibit during normal operating hours.

Two electrical contractors installed and adjusted the luminaires followed by a half day to program the lighting levels, groups, and scenes. It was simple and efficient taking advantage of the XIM modules and Xicato’s lighting configuration tool, Control Panel Software.

Serving over 1.5 million visitors per year, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam is host to 200 paintings, 400 drawings and 700 letters by Vincent van Gogh, the largest such collection in the world, as well as traveling exhibitions of other artists and collections. Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, The Potato Eaters, several of his Wheatfield and Self-Portraits, and many other iconic works are on permanent display in a beautiful, multi-story building owned by the Dutch government.

In January, 2017, the Van Gogh Institute began a phased process of converting all of the lighting in both the Van Gogh Museum and the Mesdag
Collection in The Hague – approximately 1300 light points – to Xicato Intelligent Modules with Bluetooth control (XIM Gen4). The work is being done entirely after hours, without disrupting normal operations, and without moving or replacing either the artwork or the existing lighting infrastructure. No new track. No wires. No holes in the wall. No dust. The results are significant savings in energy and maintenance, but their primary motivation is Conservation.