Where to store your artwork and artefacts when changing displays

If you’re a museum or art gallery, you’ll be well versed in changing your displays for different exhibitions or events. You’ll also know that suitable artwork storage can often be a stumbling block, as with so many things to house it can be tricky to find the space to keep your items secure and safe from damage.

Archive artwork storage in the museum and art gallery industries is not just about squirreling items away – highly valuable and fragile items must be housed in such a way that they are protected and easily accessible. With floorspace often at a premium, it’s also important to have a space saving system in place so that you don’t have to lease another building.

At Rackline we have various archive storage systems that are suitable for varying artefacts or pieces of artwork, and we have been trusted by some of the biggest museums in the UK such as the V&A and the London Museum right through to small outfits like the Kirkleatham Museum in Newcastle.

Depending on what it is you need to store, we have a range of artwork storage that might fit the bill:

1. Our Toast Rack Artwork Storage Units allow you to store pieces in a flexible and compact way. Thanks to the ability to alter the compartment height and widths, they allow for various heights of artwork or artefacts to be stored. In addition, the internal pole dividers are very robust, meaning you can store multiple heavy pieces.

2. Hanging Map Storage Units allow you to store fragile maps in an upright and compact manner which means you don’t have to stack them on top of each other in large drawers.

3. Multitrak High Density Mobile Shelving – If you’re short on floor space, this is the perfect way to store artefacts or artwork of all sizes. This system operates on torque tubes and wheels to house long bases and heavy loads, and can be moved on tracks with ease.

4. Plan Chest Storage Units are great for museum and archive items that need storing. At Rackline, we can supply these as static, standalone units or units that can be mounted onto mobile carriages to maximise the storage space.

5. It can be difficult to know how to store framed pictures, which is why we have developed Lateral Mobile Picture Racking which keeps artwork and artefacts safe while maximising space. It works like normal mobile shelving but unlike conventional pull-out picture racking, you only need standard size front gangways for access. This can be installed with either a Monotrak or Multitrak mobile base, depending on factors like weight and size.

We work with museums, art galleries and retail providers to create safe, space-saving and cutting-edge artwork storage systems that are bespoke to each client. To find out more about how we can help your organisation, give our friendly team a call today on  01782 777 666.