Whether you’re preserving a Picasso or Pueblo pottery, art preservation can present unique challenges. Fortunately, museum shelving has evolved to meet the specific preservation needs of artworks in all sizes, shapes, and types. Museums and galleries can stay organized and efficient while preserving and securing collections.
Many institutions want to offer continued access to their collections. Staff, students, and guests might search for the work of a particular period, artist, or style for research, preservationist care, or simply appreciation. The storage solution also needs to help you keep current documentation on artwork location, condition, and provenance to allow artwork tracking and access.
Fortunately, art shelving continues to evolve to meet the specific handling requirements of your collection’s fragility, artistic medium, or condition. The right specialized storage solution supports easy access to all your artworks or artifacts, protects your collection, and enables efficient workflow for your employees.
Understanding Your Collection's Needs
Multiple art shelving options are available, but what you need depends on your space and collection. Following these steps can help you get a grip on what’s required to balance access and efficiency while maintaining an optimal preservation environment that secures your collection.
1: Catalog all your types of art
You can better identify suitable art shelving solutions for your needs if you have an accurate catalog of the types of art in your collection. When working with your storage expert, you should know the dimensions, materials, and any specific handling requirements of your pieces to maximize your space and budget.
Be sure to bring up any particularly rare or delicate items which require specific environmental conditions. And keep in mind any physical protection needs for valuable items in your collection.
2: Review Your Space and Storage System Today
In the best-case scenario, you have a brand-new space custom-designed to your gallery’s needs and wants and can begin your art storage plan with a blank slate.
More realistically, you’re trying to do more with the space you’re already in. Maximizing your existing space requires a close, intentional study of your current footprint. It helps to consider:
- What square footage is available
- Any obstructions you might encounter (sprinkler systems, structural columns, ductwork, etc.)
- What vertical space you might have
- How people work in your space
- What other ways is your space utilized (As a classroom? For visitor research? For conservation? For employee breaks, or as a workspace?)
3: Plan for the future
Budgets are a constant concern for any museum. Storage is only one critical area for budget spend. Nevertheless, taking stock of where your collection is now while anticipating collection growth can help you make a smart future-forward plan. With both short- and long-term goals in mind, you can make more strategic decisions about scalable, adaptable storage solutions.
The University of Central Florida (UCF) worked with Patterson Pope to reimagine its 600-square-foot gallery storage space. By taking a complete inventory and consulting with our space experts, UCF created a new look.
With art racks, mechanical-assist mobile shelving, 4-post shelving, and cantilever shelving, Shannon Lindsey, Director of the UCF Art Gallery, reinvigorated their storage.
"Thanks to the new instillation, we're not only able to navigate the space more easily and store things in a more organized fashion, but I can bring down students and faculty and let them experience the artwork for themselves." - Shannon Lindsey, Director, UCF Art Gallery
Exploring Art Shelving Options
The wide range of art shelving and art rack systems offer ease of operation and access while providing organization, efficiency, and security. Some storage solutions even preserve your collection while providing display opportunities.
Our art rack systems meet your needs for new construction or renovating your existing space. You’ll want to weigh the benefits for your collection of each of these different options for art storage:
- Free-standing Mod-Glider Pro Modular Art Rack Systems can increase storage capacity without affixing shelving to ceilings, walls, or floors. Then, when you need to accommodate collection growth, simply add additional modules.
- Wall-mounted racks come in virtually unlimited sizes. These racks are installed directly onto walls and can be especially helpful for storing large works.
- Double-sided, floor-mounted lateral racks help maximize space for your hanging art. Improve organization and accessibility with manual or mechanical-assist art racks as much as 12 feet tall.
- Carriage-mounted and floor-supported solutions provide heavy-duty support while compacting your storage.
Don’t overlook your overhead space, either. Overhead-supported pull-out racks leverage your vertical space. At the Bo Bartlett Center at Columbus State University, engineering a solution that took advantage of the small space’s tall walls transformed gallery storage.
“By using the vertical space, putting 16’ racks up the walls as central space-saving racks, we’ve created a storage area that works for us today and offers potential for additions down the road.” - David Huston, Executive Director, Bo Bartlett Center
Technology and Material Considerations
Just as artists take pains to select the right tools and supplies to express their vision, gallery staff also need to choose the right materials for art shelving. The list of possible dangers is long, including humidity, light, dust, pests, poor handling practices, and even off-gassing from the storage system.
Preserving the value and importance of your collection requires you to select art racks, shelving, panels, and carriages that protect the works. Meanwhile, you still don’t want to sacrifice convenient access and the ability to arrange artwork to suit your gallery’s needs.
Our art shelving is designed according to gallery owner and curator inputs, developing a solution that works aesthetically and practically. For example:
- Double-sided wire mesh is flush with posts for full flexibility
- Powder-coat painted panels and carriages protect from off-gassing
- Steel construction offers sturdy durability
- Slide design innovations make it simple to extend screens fully for loading and unloading
- The range of color finishes supports a coherent design vision for your space
You can also select from purpose-built accessories to securely connect artworks to screens, eliminating the risk of accidental damage or dislodging items during the hanging process.
The Clark Atlanta University (CAU) Art Museum partnered with Patterson Pope to reimagine its storage and add a hands-on classroom for students to get up close to the collection.
“It’s not about having all of the answers; it’s a constant evolution that begins with asking new and interesting questions. This new room will let us do that that much better.” - Maurita Poole, Ph.D., Museum Director, CAU Art Museum
Preserve and Secure Your Collection
Art shelving has evolved to address the unique challenges museums and galleries face. Collaborating with our storage solution providers can lead to innovative designs that balance aesthetics with practicality, supporting the preservation and accessibility of art collections now and in the future.
To learn more, contact a representative from Patterson Pope today.
