Conserve O Gram 4/1b: Museum Storage Shelves

For more information, see COG 4/1: Selecting Museum Storage Furniture: An Overview.

This Conserve O Gram (COG) details the various types of museum storage shelves that meet best practices in the museum profession. For retrofitting existing storage shelves, see additional COGs in Series 4: Museum Collections Storage.

Shelving is versatile and can accommodate a variety of object dimensions and weights. It is particularly suitable for large and/or sturdy objects; objects that are less vulnerable to environmental factors such as pests and light exposure; and objects stored in boxes. Shelving is available in standard, oversized, heavy-duty, or industrial wire constructions and can be customized to fit both space and object needs.

General Pros and Cons

Pros

• Shelves readily allow for visual and physical access to objects.

• They can be adjusted to varying heights within the same unit, accommodating a variety of object sizes.

• Shelves can be easily modified to better protect objects using dust covers, earthquake protections, etc.

Cons

• Shelves provide less protection from environmental factors, particularly light, dust, and pests than enclosed storage furniture.

• Without additional modifications, shelves may increase the possibility of objects incurring physical damage, such as falling during an earthquake or unintentional human contact.

• They result in reduced physical security against theft or tampering compared with enclosed storage furniture.

Considerations When Choosing Storage Shelves

Figure 1: Museum storage shelves. (NPS Photo)

Weight Limits

• Select shelving units that meet the requirements of the collection. Shelving is typically rated for different weight loads.

Shelf Surfaces and Lining Options:

• Select shelves made of powder-coated steel. They should never include wooden or particle board components as these materials are acidic and may off-gas.

• Use shelf liners as additional barriers and/or cushioning between the shelf and the object, as necessary. They are particularly important if using industrial wire shelving to prevent deformation, snagging hazards, and/or small objects from falling through the wire shelf.

• Select liners made from corrugated polypropylene (Coroplast®), corrugated museum board (blue board), polyethylene foam sheeting (Ethafoam® and Volara®), polyester film (Mylar® or Melinex®), aluminized nylon and polyethylene barrier film (Marvelseal® 360), or acrylic sheeting.

• Size and/or cut liners to fit the exact dimensions of the interior of the shelf so as not to overhang and pose a safety hazard to objects or staff.

• Clean, maintain, or replace liners as needed.

Installation Concerns

• Select customizable/adjustable rather than fixed shelving.

• Secure using wall or floor anchors as necessary to ensure the safety of both objects and personnel. Shelving units may be bolted together to provide additional stability.

• Purchase shelving units whose bases can be leveled.

• Ensure bottom shelves are 6” off the floor, to facilitate housekeeping and protect against water intrusion.

• Install restraining bars or cords to prevent objects from falling off the shelves, particularly in earthquake-prone areas.

Shelving Types

Standard Shelves

Figure 2: Standard shelves with uniform depth, width, and height. Note, these shelving units were installed without appropriate clearance for housekeeping and water intrusion. (NPS Photo)

Standard shelving can accommodate objects of average size and weight. They can also be used to store library materials and archival materials in records boxes.

Oversized Shelves

Figure 3: Oversized shelving units. (NPS Photo)

Oversized shelving can accommodate objects of both greater length and/or depth than standard shelving, such as jacketed paleontological specimens, architectural elements, and furniture.

Heavy-Duty Shelves

Figure 4: Heavy-duty shelving rated to hold 4,860lbs per shelf. (NPS Photo)

Select heavy-duty shelving for objects whose weight exceeds the load-bearing capabilities of standard shelving, such as cannon tubes, machinery, vehicles, and certain geological specimens.

Industrial Wire Shelves

Figure 5: Industrial wire shelving. (NPS Photo)

Industrial wire shelving is cost effective, easy to assemble, and provides a lightweight option when floor load is a concern. It comes in a wide variety of sizes that can be adapted to fit odd-sized storage spaces.

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Anne Ennes, Textile Conservator
Shay Henrion, Registrar and Conserve O Gram Editor
Casey Oehler, Museum Curator
Museum Conservation and Collections
Harpers Ferry Center, National Park Service

Formerly issued as Conserve O Gram 4/
Don Cumberland, Jr. (1993), Museum Specialist
National Park Service

The Conserve O Gram series is published as a reference on collections management and curatorial issues. Mention of a product, a manufacturer, or a supplier by name in this publication does not constitute an endorsement of that product or supplier by the National Park Service. Sources named are not all inclusive. It is suggested that readers also seek alternative product and vendor information to assess the full range of available supplies and equipment.

The series is available on the National Park Service Museum Management Program's website.