Collection Storage

Collection storage room with tall closed cabinets along a long hallway

Resources for Collection Storage

We support resources that help institutions of all sizes to plan their collection storage, improve inefficient or unorganized spaces, and help prepare their collections for the unexpected. Collection storage is one of many important aspects of care for collections. From workshops to videos, books to interactive websites, there are many ways to increase your knowledge on this topic. If this topic is of deep interest, consider joining our Preventive Care Network.

STASH (Storage Techniques for Art, Science and History)

What is STASH?

STASH is an online venue to explore solutions for storage and support of cultural property based on the book, Storage of Natural History Collections: Ideas and Practical Solutions. Visit the site for:

  • General information about each type of support or storage solution: (e.g. cabinets, drawers, trays, hangars, pallets, etc.)
  • A “Materials, Supplies and Tools” chart of specific storage products
  • A blog to announce new initiatives, tools, materials and items of interest
  • An online forum 

STASH is supported by the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation, the Kress Foundation, and the Society for Preservation of Natural History Collections.

Visit

Preventive Conservation: Collection Storage

AIC, SI, SPNHC, and GSU Museum Studies collaborated on a definitive volume 

Lisa Elkin and Christopher A. Norris, editors. 2013. 7 x 10 in., 944 pages, 5 lbs, hardcover. ISBN 9780997867923

Good storage is the foundation of effective collection care-advancing conservation while promoting accessibility and use. Preventive Conservation: Collection Storage covers all types of collections, including science, fine and decorative art, history, library, archive, and digital collections. It concentrates on preventive conservation and emphasizes a risk-management approach. Reflecting the breadth of its scope, this book is a collaboration between the Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections, the American Institute for Conservation, the Smithsonian Institution, and the George Washington University Museum Studies Program. It will be useful to anyone in the field of collection care looking for an overview of collection storage-be it an established specialist, an emerging professional, or a student.