Museum
MQ2-44 · #685A52 · LRV 11 — warm red-orange tone, dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs.
- 1Mahogany0
- 2Turkish Coffee5
- 3Museum11
- 4Cavern Clay20
- 5Redend Point30
What Color Is Museum, Really?
Museum reads as a warm red-orange tone — dark — high drama, needs strong daylight or warm bulbs. The notes below cover how Behr MQ2-44 behaves in different light and the closest matches at competing US brands.
Best Rooms and Uses for Museum
Museum works best as a feature — a single wall, built-ins, a study or dining room — rather than wrapping a whole bright space. Browns ground a room and pair naturally with leather, wood and warm metals.
How Lighting Changes Museum
With an LRV of 11, Museum is a deep, dramatic shade. It soaks up light in north-facing rooms and looks richest where strong daylight hits it. Its orange undertone is the part to watch: it gets picked up by whatever sits next to it, so test it against your trim, floor and the room's main light before committing. Warm artificial light softens it; cool LED can make it look flat, so match your bulbs to the mood you want.
Most complaints about Museum are a light mismatch. Upload a photo of your actual room and see it on your walls — then ask for the same wall in north light or evening lamps before you buy a single sample.
Need It From Another Brand?
Any paint counter can custom-tint Behr MQ2-44 directly. If you would rather stay in one brand's own deck, these are the closest stock matches, measured as ΔE2000. Under 2 is a difference you will not see on the wall.
| Brand | Closest color | ΔE | LRV | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sherwin-Williams | Manor HouseSW 7505 · Sherwin-Williams | 2.6 | 11 | Color page → |
| Benjamin Moore | Middlebury BrownHC-68 · Benjamin Moore | 2.0 | 11 | Color page → |
| Valspar | Sumatra Blend2008-9A · Valspar | 4.5 | 10.5 | Color page → |
| PPG / Glidden | IntriguePPG1019-7 · PPG / Glidden | 1.7 | 10 | Color page → |
| Glidden | Cedar Brown10YY 11/087 · Glidden | 3.6 | 11 | Color page → |
| Dutch Boy | Ashen447-6DB · Dutch Boy | 2.9 | 11 | Color page → |
Similar Behr Colors
The nearest shades to Museum within Behr's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.
WCAG 2.1: AA is 4.5 : 1 for normal text, 3 : 1 for large text, AAA is 7 : 1.
Coordinated palette
Generated by hue-rotating #685A52 in HSL space. Pair Museum with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.
Have you painted with Museum?
Rate it — one tap helps the next reader decide.
Ask a Question