Museums
Frankly, we are rapidly running out of useable internal museum storage floor space within the museum environment. Acquiring additional land obviously can offer a solution to the space "squeeze." Few museums can move to the suburbs or split their facilities like industry does. And even if adjoining land can be acquired at the existing site, usually in a congested urban area, the acquisition of land is difficult and sometimes impossible. Added to these problems is the surging impact of larger and larger collections to be stored and displayed as well as the constant need for more laboratory, research and classroom space. Hence, space for public viewing, the "tip" remains limited.
Space Conservation
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Planning for the storage of a museum collection is no simple matter. Factors such as frequency of artifact rotation, amount of space required for support functions, the museum's role in the community, and the rate of collection growth must all be considered in the development of the final storage plan. Your SSI museum specialist can help develop an in-depth space and storage analysis specifically for your institution, taking the following issues into account:
The size and shape of the artifacts
The number of specialized storage housings such as cabinets, drawers, shelves and racks is almost limitless. The flexible design of Spacesaver mobile carriages allows virtually any storage housing to be accommodated. Your existing housings can be mounted on our carriages, or new ones can be installed.
The nature of the designated storage areas
Spacesaver high-density mobile storage systems can be designed to fit in spaces of all dimensions. Usually several different system layouts are possible for a given area of floor space.
The level of staff activity and frequency of access to the collection.
A storage system that is accessed frequently by a large staff will require a different design than one that is accessed occasionally by one or two people.
The weight of the collection.
Spacesaver's full line of over 15 standard carriage designs, with load capacities that range from 3,000 to 250,000 pounds or more per carriage gives museum space planners a comprehensive selection of options. The welded "uniframe" construction of Spacesaver carriages further enhances its load-bearing capabilities and ensures long system life.
In addition to these considerations for the museum's collection, your SSI museum specialist will also include in the design system safety features to protect museum personnel, such as photoelectric devices, electronic sensors, safety floors, and safety sweeps that stop carriage movement when objects or people are detected in the aisle.
Because of the special needs of museums, SSI also considers the following factors in designing museum storage layout:
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Vibration:
With our anti-tip devices, controlled rate carriage motors, smooth carriage guidance systems, and precision wheels and rails, vibration is kept to a minimum.
Fire safety:
The combination of compact storage which reduces the amount of oxygen available in the storage area, fire retardant components, a fire alarm interface, and UL system listing greatly reduce the possibility of damage to the collection from fire.
Particulate Matter:
By compacting storage ranges together, exposure to airborne particulate matter is minimized. Various kinds of dust shields are also available for further protection against airborne contaminants.
Light sensitivity:
Artifacts are protected from exposure to light by compacting the storage ranges together. Light shields may be installed for further protection. Automatic fluorescent aisle lights conserve energy and expose only the portion of the collection currently in use.
Noxious vapors, ventilation:
Spacesaver's powder-coat paint finish gives a hard durable finish with no off-gassing. When ventilation of the collection is important, auto cycle and ventilation park features are available to move the ranges automatically at prescribed intervals for air movement or to park the ranges several inches apart for improved circulation.
Security:
Compacting ranges keeps artifacts out of sight and deters theft and vandalism. Systems may be locked at night with a night park option which is timer operated and may be interfaced with the building security system. Locking aisle doors may be installed for system security. Access indicator lights which provide remote visual indication of the system's "in-use" status may be installed in curators' offices, or may be interfaced with the building security system.
