Abstract: The Plantin-Moretus Museum/Print Room in Antwerp, Belgium, gathers one of the most precious collections of typographical material and old printed books in the world. Rich decorations of this former printing-house and the history of the building itself underline its uniqueness. The cultural heritage (CH) objects collected in the museum, in particular books and manuscripts are vulnerable to the atmospheric pollution and can be irreversibly damaged. To assess the air quality inside the museum, four consecutive sampling campaigns were performed in each season of the year. The gas monitoring of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and ozone (O3) was carried out outside the building, in galleries and in showcases by means of using diffusive samplers. The particulate matter (PM) was collected in bulk form and as single particles and then analysed with use of energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) and electron probe micro-analyser (EPMA), respectively. The museum complex turned out to show good protection against gaseous pollutants, especially SO2 and O3. The concentrations of these pollutants were significantly reduced inside the building in comparison to the outdoor ones. Similar protective character of the museum complex was established in case of the coarse fraction of PM; however with some limitations. Single particle analysis showed that the relative abundance of carbon-rich particles inside the museum was greater than outside. Moreover, these particles contributed more to the fine fraction of PM than to the coarse fraction. Therefore, for better preservation of cultural heritage, special attention should be paid to the small particles and their distribution within the museum.

Abstract: Increasingmass tourismcan generate importantmicroclimatic perturbations and also elevate indoor pollution by the transport of fine particulatematter. The purpose of this researchwas to study the indoor air conditions in the RoyalMuseum ofWawel Castle in Cracow, Poland, displaying amongst other valuable works of art also a unique collection of Flemish tapestries. The investigation involved in the determination of transport and deposition of particulate matter brought in by visitors. The microclimate inside the exhibition rooms was also monitored. Samples of suspended particulateswere collected inside and outside themuseuminwinterand summer2006.On days with intensive tourist visits the concentration of total suspended particulates was significantly higher (i.e., 130 µg/m3 inwinter and 49 µg/m3 in summer) than on those days without tourists (i.e., 73 µg/m3 and 22 µg/m3 in winter and summer, respectively). The concentrations of all investigated elementswere also considerably higher during the tourist flow. This was especially valid for soil dust associated elements (Si, K, Ca, Al, and Ti), with considerably higher levels in summer than winter. This could be linked with much more frequent tourist activity in the summer period. Also, the concentration of Clwasmuch higher inwinter than summer, due to the use of deicing salts on the roads and pavements.