collection care and storage

Location management

Good collection management involves paying close attention to keeping track of where items are located. This makes it possible to find an item very quickly. To this end, we print a barcode and the item number on acid-free labels. We then attach these labels securely to the item, for example with acid-free cotton tape. This ensures that no information is lost. All the shelves in the depot also have barcodes. By linking the two barcodes, we can quickly find the location of an item in our system.

Packaging

To preserve objects as well as possible, customised packaging is essential. We take many different factors into account: the fragility of the object, avoiding stress on weak points, no direct contact with harmful surfaces and allowing sufficient air circulation to prevent a microclimate. We also investigate the ideal ambient climate. Metal, for example, is stored in a drier environment. The depot has a room specially designed for metal storage, with a relative humidity of 35% instead of 55%.

Unfortunately, some objects are not in the best condition. A number of conservation or restoration works are carried out in the depot itself. For example, museum staff can dry clean objects. This involves removing dust with a brush and a museum vacuum cleaner. Another example is greasing leather with specially designed products. This keeps it supple and shiny. In the event of major damage and when restoration is necessary, we call in professional restorers.