CatalogIt Museum Tips

Storing you Collection

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.

Location

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.

Shelving

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.

Containers

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.

Museum quality containers are made of non-reactive materials, meaning they do not emit any gasses that can deteriorate the objects they contain. Look for containers that are alkaline-buffered, acid free, and have a neutral pH. These types of products are usually referred to as “Archival.” These containers can be costly, and should be a priority for protecting your collection. Not every organization can afford these so, if non-archival containers must be used, consider wrapping every object with acid-free buffering tissue paper.

Avoid storing objects in airtight containers, like plastic bins, can protect objects from leaks, but these tubs can actually capture and hold moisture, damaging the contents.