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The location, conditions, and containers you store your collection in directly affects the preservation of the objects. There are materials and conditions that are best suited to protecting you collection. Proper preservation can be costly, but maintaining your collection for the foreseeable future is priceless.

The best place to store a collection is in a room away from consistent direct lights (windows, overhead lighting) that has temperature and humidity control. We understand that this type of room is not available to everyone, so find a room that has minimal light and that has stable humidity and temperature. Just make sure to avoid places with drastic swings in the climate like basements, sheds, and garages.

Museum and archival quality storage shelving is usually made of steel that has been powder-coated with epoxy, polyester, or acrylic. Avoid rusty steel shelves and older ones that have a baked enamel coating, as they can release gasses dangerous to your objects. Try and avoid using wood shelving, especially for fragile objects, as they naturally emit organic acids and peroxides that will deteriorate the contents they shelve.

When storing large objects, they can be kept safely on a shelf or platform in a room that follows the location requirements above. Some smaller objects and paper materials are best stored in a container.