Microfade testing in cultural heritage

Abstract

Microfade testing (MFT) is an accelerated aging technique used to test the lightfastness of a material or object directly rather than relying on generalisations or models; it was developed specifically for the cultural heritage sector, unlike many other analytical methods currently used in museums and cultural institutions. Since its development in the 1990s, MFT has helped to guide museums’ lighting policies and the responsible display and loan of cultural heritage objects. MFT is considered to be minimally invasive and is frequently used to test materials that are suspected to be highly light-sensitive, including textiles, works on paper and more complex three-dimensional objects. Tests are conducted directly on the object, allowing the user to observe changes as the test is performed – despite the name of the technique, MFT can be used to detect any colour change, not just fading.