The Met (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Lighting the Tiffany “Garden Landscape” Window

The Met’s new lighting project focuses on the iconic Tiffany "Garden Landscape" window, a massive stained‑glass installation originally designed for a private home. Design Manager Amy Nelson and lighting designer Jourdan Ferguson were tasked with recreating the natural sunlight that once filtered through the window, while adapting it for a permanent museum setting. To achieve this, the team wired each panel with programmable LEDs, allowing them to turn specific sections on or off in alternating patterns. Because Tiffany glass is inherently layered—some panes more translucent than others—the lighting scheme emphasizes depth, highlights intricate details, and mimics the shifting quality of daylight that the window historically enjoyed. Nelson described the result as "like a massive, beautiful, bright stained glass window that you feel like a fly almost to light," noting that the effect "takes your breath away." The ability to layer illumination and control it dynamically turns the window into a living artwork that changes with the viewer’s perspective. The installation not only enriches the visitor experience but also sets a new benchmark for museum lighting, demonstrating how technology can preserve and amplify historic art while driving higher engagement and attendance.