Old and irreplaceable artifacts need more than display cases. They need protection, preservation, and proper storage.
At Emory University's Michael C. Carlos Museum, that responsibility spans thousands of historic pieces representing cultures from across the globe. But when your off-site storage is full and your onsite space was never designed for long-term housing of museum collections, something's gotta give.
That's where the challenge began: How do you expand the storage of old artifacts without sacrificing preservation standards, breaking the budget, or starting from scratch?
A Growing Collection, a Tight Budget, and a Ticking Clock
For years, Todd Lamkin — Director of Collection Services and Chief Registrar — had been planning to upgrade storage capacity at the museum's off-site facility. The collections were growing quickly. Donations didn't trickle in one at a time; instead, they usually arrived in batches of hundreds. But even as plans moved forward, the budget stood still.
By the time Emory approved funding for the project, inflation had started to chip away at what the original budget could cover. That meant Lamkin was suddenly looking at a scaled-down version of the plan: fewer shelves, less flexibility, and tougher decisions about what could be stored where.
The Carlos Museum's collections are diverse, ranging from ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern pieces to sub-Saharan African art and artifacts from the Americas. Fitting it all into a constrained footprint wasn't going to be easy, especially without compromising on conservation or accessibility.
The Fix That Was Sitting Across Campus
Just as the project's scope started shrinking, help came from an unexpected place: the campus library.
While the Michael C. Carlos Museum was planning for expansion, Emory's Woodruff Library was slimming down, removing shelving to make more space for collaboration and study areas. Their surplus shelving wasn't pretty or new, but it was solid. And it was about to be recycled.
Patterson Pope saw the opportunity. The dimensions of the discarded four-post shelving weren't an exact match, but they were close enough to make it work. By placing the 24"-deep shelving back to back, the team was able to recreate the same cubic footprint Lamkin had originally planned for, without the cost of new equipment.
"We jumped on that opportunity," said Lamkin. "It allowed us to build a larger system that better met our needs than we would have been able to build working with only brand new equipment."
The solution preserved the project's original footprint, hit all the functional goals, and stayed within budget, a rare win in a renovation story.
Building Storage That Works for Old Artifacts
The final system blended new wide-span shelving with repurposed high-density shelving, offering flexibility for collections that vary in age, size, and fragility.
The museum installed:
That combination gave the Carlos Museum more control over how collections were grouped and arranged, a must-have when housing a mix of Mediterranean ceramics, Mesoamerican statuary, and African masks under one roof. Lamkin put it plainly: "With smaller objects comes greater flexibility in how you place them and store them."
And for a museum that regularly receives 500-object donations, having a system that supports both preservation and growth is more than helpful. It's essential.
A Win for Collections (and for Sustainability)
For Lamkin and the team, the environmental benefit wasn't the goal. But it was a meaningful bonus.
Repurposing shelving that was headed for the recycling bin aligned perfectly with Emory's sustainability values. And even though the equipment had some years on it, it still looked and functioned like new.
"It may be 30 years old, but it looks and works like something much younger," said Lamkin. "It really turned out well."
By mixing older but dependable shelving with new components, the musuemw as able to stretch its budget, hit its storage goals, and still support green practices, all while improving the storage of old artifacts across multiple collections.
The Patterson Pope Difference
Throughout the process, collaboration was key. From identifying the right shelfing at the right time to making sure the final layout met the museum's curatorial and preservation needs, Patterson Pope was more than a vendor — they were a hands-on partner.
"We've been very happy with Patterson Pope as a partner," said Lamkin. "Relationships are important to them as a company, and that kind of thing shows. It's appreciated, definitely." When space is tight, collections are priceless, and the stakes are high, having a team that knows how to listen, adapt, and deliver makes all the difference.
Ready to Rethink the Storage of Old Artifacts?
Whether you're preserving centuries-old ceramics or preparing for your next 500-object donation, the right storage solutioons can make all the difference. At the Michael C. Carlos Museum, flexibility, foresight, and a little creative thinking helped turn a limited budget into a long-term win.
Want to explore how you can do the same?
Contact a Patterson Pope representative today or visit our Museum Storage and Special Collections pages to learn more about storage solutions built for preservation, access, and growth.