When you think about Neyland Stadium, you probably picture roaring crowds, game-day energy, and Tennessee football history. What you might not picture? Thousands of artifacts, research samples, and human remains (seriously) stored in old dorm rooms beneath the stands. But for years, that's exactly where the University of Tennessee's Anthropology and Forensic Anthropology collections lived.
The setup worked — until it didn't. As the collection grew, so did the challenges:
- Inconsistent climate control put sensitive material at risk.
- Limited space meant no room for expansion.
- Disorganized access made research more difficult than it needed to be.
Just like a top recruit eventually outgrows their college stadium, it was time for this world-class collection to move on. Enter Strong Hall — a brand-new facility with a purpose-built archive room designed to protect and organize the university's invaluable collection.
That's where Patterson Pope came in. Working alongside university staff and architects, they helped create an efficient, high-density archive room design — one that not only preserves history but also makes research easier for students, faculty, and visiting experts.
A Growing Collection Without a True Archive Room
Moving a collection isn't just about finding a new space. It's about finding the right space. And for the University of Tennessee, that meant addressing some serious challenges.
For starters, the old setup in Neyland Stadium wasn't built for long-term storage. What started as a convenient solution quickly turned into a logistical nightmare:
- Temperature and humidity fluctuations made it hard to preserve fragile materials.
- Cramped, make-do storage solutions made accessing items inefficient.
- A lack of expansion space put future research and acquisitions in jeopardy.
Dr. Benjamin Auerbach, Professor of Anthropology and Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, understood the stakes. The university's collection wasn't just growing. It was (pardon the pun) evolving. More researchers, more donations, and more valuable materials meant they needed a space designed to handle it all.
"Over in the stadium, we had a short-term problem — environmental controls," said Dr. Auerbach. "We also had a long-term problem in that there was no room for expansion as the collection grew."
The need for a purpose-built archive room became clear. This wasn't just about storage, but about creating a functional, organized, and expandable system that could keep up with the university's research mission.
A Purpose-Built Archive Room in Strong Hall
With Strong Hall's construction underway, the university had a rare opportunity: to design an archive room that met their needs from the ground up. Instead of retrofitting an existing space, they could build a system that prioritized preservation, organization, and accessibility from day one.
Key Considerations in Archive Room Design:
- Climate Control: Stable temperature and humidity levels to protect delicate materials.
- Storage Customization: A mix of box storage, zoology cabinets, and specialized shelving to accommodate different collections.
- Researcher Accessibility: A layout that allows faculty, students, and visiting experts to efficiently retrieve and study materials.
Patterson Pope played a crucial role in this process. Regional Account Manager Scott Bertini was tapped to help assess their needs and develop a plan for the new archive room.
"It was a really interesting project that took a few years to come to fruition," said Bertini. "Of course, there were a lot of different items that they have stored there, so part of our task was to take inventory, determine what they were storing, how they wanted to store it, and then decide on the best solution to fit their needs."
By working closely with the university team, Patterson Pope helped ensure the new archive room would provide long-term storage solutions that support both research and preservation efforts.
The High-Density Storage Solution
With the design plan in place, it was time to implement a storage system that could handle the university's growing collection while maintaining organization and accessibility. The solution? A high-density storage system designed specifically for archives.
What Went Into the Archive Room?
- Four separate powered high-density storage systems installed across multiple rooms.
- A 320-square-foot archive area combining box storage and zoology cabinets.
- A dedicated storage room holding 440+ boxes of anthropology samples.
- 1,500 square feet of high-density shelving for skeletal collections and other research materials.
The beauty of high-density storage is its ability to maximize space while keeping everything easily accessible. University staff, grad students, and external researchers now have a controlled environment that protects fragile materials while improving workflow efficiency.
Dr. Auerbach emphasized the difference the new archive room has made: "Because I've served in the past as an acting curator for the department for about six years, I gained an appreciation for the importance of a stable environment. It's not just the climate, either. It's what a properly designed storage system allows. That's what makes this new system so nice for all of us."
With a thoughtfully designed high-density storage system, the university now has an archive that supports ongoing research, safeguards valuable materials, and allows for future expansion.
A Future-Proof Archive Room
The University of Tennessee's new archive room isn't just an upgrade. It's a transformation. By designing a space that prioritizes preservation, accessibility, and efficiency, they've created a storage system that will serve students, faculty, and researchers for decades to come.
For Patterson Pope, the project was more than just another installation. It was an opportunity to help shape the future of academic research and artifact preservation. By working hand-in-hand with the university, they ensured that every shelf, cabinet, and storage system was chosen with long-term sustainability in mind.
"It isn't something I've ever done before," said Scott Bertini. "It was a really interesting project. It's nice to know you're helping to provide something valuable — not just for the department and the university today, but for well into the future."
When it comes to archive room design, thoughtful planning, and the right storage solutions make all the difference. Want to learn more about how Patterson Pope helps institutions create scalable archive room designs? Contact a Patterson Pope representative today.
