EXPLORING DAYLIGHTING AS A WAYFINDING STRATEGY IN MUSEUMS

ABSTRACT Wayfinding is an essential aspect of spatial navigation, especially in complex interior environments such as museums, where intuitive movement is preferred over reliance on signage, guides. Lighting plays a significant role in guiding movement and has been shown to influence how people perceive, interpret, and move through spaces. This study explores the use of light as a way finding strategy in museums. The research looks at various day lighting strategies, including shadow play, contrast, intensity, directional cues and focal illumination, to determine their effectiveness in guiding movement, studies were eligible if they examine these lighting strategies as tools for wayfinding. Databases including ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Google Scholar, research gate, were searched using keywords like "museum lighting," "wayfinding," "architectural lighting," and "spatial perception." Studies from 1980 to 2024 focusing on museum lighting strategies and visitor behavior were included. Several studies were included in the final review, all of which examined day lighting as a spatial and navigational cue in museum or exhibition environments. The majority were experimental or observational studies published between 1980 and 2024. Findings consistently show that directional lighting, focal points, and contrast ratios positively influence spatial orientation and visitor movement patterns. For instance, warmer light temperatures (2700-3000k) were linked to increased dwell time, while cooler temperatures (5000-6500k) supported faster navigation. In studies comparing daylighting to artificial lighting. Analysis of several studies revealed a correlation between the effect of directional lighting on navigation performance, favoring lighting guided environments over neutral lighting conditions. Lighting plays a dual role as both a perceptual guide and an aesthetic enhancer. The review shows that cognitive cues provided by light, such as gradients of brightness, focal illumination and directional emphasis, aid in reducing confusion in complex layouts. The findings are expected to contribute to the xiv field of architectural design and spatial planning, offering insights that enhance visitor experience while maintaining aesthetic and functional balance in museum design. Keywords: Wayfinding, lighting design, spatial navigation, museum architecture, visual perception, architectural lighting