Mission Possible: Preserving Your Collection Even When it's on the Move.
Temporary exhibits in a museum, art gallery, library, public area, or business atrium all have something in common. They are 2D/3D items with significant storytelling attributes that have been moved from a unique storage situation into a more common display area. Display artifacts are carefully chosen because each has unique presentation elements which articulate a portion of the story topic being curated. The importance of these items cannot be overstated, and the collection has been selected for the purpose of fulfilling the very mission of your organization, "telling your story." Your mission, if you are willing to accept it (yes, we went there), is to tell your story, while preserving the objects which support that story, building your own disaster contingency plans around the environment you wish to tell it in.
The protection of these items from an unforeseen disaster does not start at the display podium or with display cases, it begins at the moment item(s) are transported to the temporary exhibit area. Once the item is moved from its secured position in storage, it is exposed to a significant set of new considerations which could be detrimental to its safety. As you go through your process of planning the execution of your temporary exhibit, you need to first consider the 10 primary threats to these objects and the possibility of their activation within your temporary environment. The Smithsonian National Postal Museum describes these as Physical Force, Theft and Vandalism, Neglect, Fire, Water, Pests, Pollutants, Light, Incorrect Temperatures, and Incorrect Humidity[1]. These 10 basic threats are used to identify and detect damage in your collection during storage and display as categorized and used within the museum industry. In other words, disasters happen and can come in many shapes and sizes.
Temporary exhibits can be the most vulnerable because they are often presented within a foreign environment with a different set of exposure rules. These disaster insights from the specialty contents recovery industry can help your organization understand ways you can avoid a devastating loss situation before a disaster impacts your collection.
The 10 primary threats mentioned above can be divided into 2 categories, Static Threats and Action Threats. Static threats are threats that may already be within the environment. This includes Neglect, Pests, Pollutants, Light, Incorrect Temperature, and Incorrect Humidity. Static threats in a temporary exhibit can present themselves because of incorrect handling (neglect) of an object, displaying an object made of material bugs or rodents would use as nesting or food, displaying an object in an area where aerosols are being sprayed which emit gases that in the long term could degrade the item. Light or UV damage is immediate, being considerate of this when placing the object within your temporary environment in direct or indirect sunlight. You may also ask if there is glass or plexiglass that could focus sunlight on the object at any given time of day. This has been known to cause fires in some cases[2]. Incorrect temperature and humidity are some of the biggest static threats to the temporary exhibit because the items have been pulled from a permanent storage situation where the temperature & humidity has been controlled, into a public area that is not controlled. Mold Spores are dormant until activated by temperature and humidity, starting with 50% humidity, and a temperature between 40°F and 100°F, mold will spread with devastating consequences for your objects. There is good news however, many of these static threats can be planned for and accommodated within your exhibit plan.
Action threats are threats that are usually introduced into the environment by an event. These include fire, water, physical force, vandalism, and theft. For a temporary exhibit, a fire can be introduced at any time by the negligence of an employee, a visitor, or by faulty electrical systems in older buildings. This type of damage to your objects can affect them by direct fire damage, soot damage, water damage from firefighters, and exposure to chemicals used in fire suppression. Water damage can result from a burst pipe, or a water main break on the outside of the building which leads to flooding. This damage is twofold bringing initial water damage and mold hazards to the environment. Placement of your temporary exhibits during these action threats within the display environment can put your item at an increased risk of damage just by physically being in the way of firefighters or positioned under damaged pipes. Within the specialty restoration industry, fire and water damage are the most common of claims that are mitigated and restored. Once your items have been impacted, you have 48 to 72 hours to stop the damage by removing the items from the disaster area and placing them in a controlled situation to stop mold growth.
Other action threats are criminal in nature resulting from vandalism and theft of items. Items in a temporary display area may not have the same security in place as its permanent storage, leaving it open to criminals who may steal or disfigure the item. Vandalism is another very common claim that unfortunately, the specialty contents restoration industry experiences quite a bit. One easy safeguard is to keep all of your items on display under the constant supervision of security cameras, physical security personnel, security glass or other theft deterrent devices.
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Here are a few practical actions for your next temporary exhibit plan in order to help keep your objects safe.
As pioneers within the specialty contents recovery industry (30 years and counting) we have worked with museums, art galleries, universities, and libraries (to name a few) who have gone through the process of recovering their collections after a disaster has happened. At Prism Specialties of Southeast Michigan, we are passionate about working with organizations whose mission is to protect their unique objects and stories. Your temporary exhibit plan must make provision for potential problem issues in order to prevent a disaster or if a disaster occurs, make the recovery of your items a more cost-effective and complete recovery experience. Be prepared, be organized, and make use of a contingency plan to help reduce damage to your collection objects within your temporary exhibit if the unthinkable happens.
Your critical mission? Do not let your story be rewritten by a disaster. Be prepared, and partner with a specialty contents restoration vendor who can help you navigate your pre-disaster planning so you can be prepared for anything.
[1]?.?“Agents of Deterioration | National Postal Museum.”?Postalmuseum.si.edu, postalmuseum.si.edu/collections/preservation/agents-of-deterioration.html.
[2]?Bell, Christine. “Danger from Glass Sunlight Fire a Real Risk.”?Keybury, 25 June 2015, keybury.co.uk/news/glass-sunlight-fire-risk/. Accessed 16 Feb. 2023.