Museums put a lot of thought and care into the displays of their objects. Yet almost all of these institutions can present only a fraction of their artifacts. They have to keep the rest in storage.
That’s why museum leaders should focus as much design attention on the archives as the galleries themselves, according to a new white paper by Erin Flynn and Bruce Davis, architects and museum experts with the firm Cooper Robertson.
In the paper, which comes out later this year, Flynn and Davis argue that collection storage can no longer be an afterthought. They show how thoughtfully designed storage systems improve the accessibility of museum archives, while also creating a better environment for the preservation, protection, and study of the collections.
One main takeaway from the paper: Good museum storage design requires a collaborative effort among architects, engineers, curators, and other specialists at the start of any museum project. At the Whitney Museum, for instance, this multidisciplinary approach led to design changes that will protect the storage areas and galleries in the event of severe weather, such as flooding.
The paper also highlights the specific engineering conditions needed to create a cooler, drier climate in archival spaces, as well as the value of isolated mechanical systems in each gallery and storage area.
Other key takeaways:
Expanding collections often house large and mixed-media pieces, which puts more pressure on existing storage spaces.
Overcrowded storage could lead to narrowed circulation paths and jeopardize the safe retrieval of objects.
Museums need to determine if it’s more cost effective to lease offsite storage spaces or build their own.
One creative approach is visible storage. This typically involves arranging items in dense displays behind glazing to maintain proper preservation conditions while also allowing more of the collection to be on display for the public.
Cooper Robertson has provided design and planning work for over 50 museums and collection-based institutions, including the Whitney Museum of American Art, MoMA, the Gateway Arch Museum, and the upcoming Princeton University Art Museum.
Related Stories
| Aug 29, 2014
Phifer and Partners to design 'transparent' Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw
The design includes a stage that opens onto the city's Parade Square, so anyone passing by will be able to see performances.
| Aug 25, 2014
Ranked: Top cultural facility sector AEC firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Arup, Gensler, and Turner head BD+C's rankings of design and construction firms with the most revenue from cultural facility projects, as reported in the 2014 Giants 300 Report.
| Aug 14, 2014
Museum of Mayan Culture draws inspiration from temple design [slideshow]
The Museo Maya de América in Guatemala City will be the world’s largest museum of Mayan history and culture, at 60,000 sf.
| Jul 28, 2014
Reconstruction market benefits from improving economy, new technology [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Following years of fairly lackluster demand for commercial property remodeling, reconstruction revenue is improving, according to the 2014 Giants 300 report.
| Jul 28, 2014
Reconstruction Sector Construction Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Structure Tone, Turner, and Gilbane top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest reconstruction contractor and construction management firms in the U.S.
| Jul 28, 2014
Reconstruction Sector Engineering Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Jacobs, URS, and Wiss, Janney, Elstner top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest reconstruction engineering and engineering/architecture firms in the U.S.
| Jul 28, 2014
Reconstruction Sector Architecture Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Stantec, HDR, and HOK top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest reconstruction architecture and architecture/engineering firms in the U.S.
| Jul 23, 2014
Architecture Billings Index up nearly a point in June
AIA reported the June ABI score was 53.5, up from a mark of 52.6 in May.
| Jul 21, 2014
Economists ponder uneven recovery, weigh benefits of big infrastructure [2014 Giants 300 Report]
According to expert forecasters, multifamily projects, the Panama Canal expansion, and the petroleum industry’s “shale gale” could be saving graces for commercial AEC firms seeking growth opportunities in an economy that’s provided its share of recent disappointments.
| Jul 18, 2014
Contractors warm up to new technologies, invent new management schemes [2014 Giants 300 Report]
“UAV.” “LATISTA.” “CMST.” If BD+C Giants 300 contractors have anything to say about it, these new terms may someday be as well known as “BIM” or “LEED.” Here’s a sampling of what Giant GCs and CMs are doing by way of technological and managerial innovation.
