Digital Sensing Tools for Heritage: 3D Microclimate Analysis at Castello Ursino Art Gallery

Monitoring and controlling microclimatic parameters inside museum galleries is crucial for the proper conservation and exhibition of artworks, which are often composed of sensitive and already fragile materials. In this article, we present an environmental monitoring campaign spanning 31 months, conducted at the Art Gallery of Castello Ursino, using a network of sustainable, low-power sensing systems powered by energy harvesters that harness the freely available energy in the museum environment. Preliminary analysis of the data shows that the maximum daily fluctuations in temperature and relative humidity remained within 2 °C and 3%, respectively. The collected measurements were integrated into a detailed three-dimensional reconstruction of the gallery, produced through advanced laser-scanning techniques and made accessible directly through standard web browsers. This methodology enables immediate, contextualized, and customizable visualization of microclimatic data within the 3D environment, providing museum curators with an effective tool for informed decision-making and for clearly identifying the critical environmental parameters requiring attention in exhibition spaces.