Preservation Considerations for Exhibits and Loans

Stephanie Gowler, Northwestern University

Exhibits and loans introduce your collections to a wider audience and encourage people to interact with objects in new ways. However, putting collections materials on display even for short periods of time introduces preservation risks. Here are a few ideas for protecting your collections, many of which can also be opportunities for audience engagement. Because light exposure is the biggest risk to objects on display, most of these tips are related to mitigating that risk, but the list of resources at the end will point you to other great ideas for protecting your collections.  

Never display original paper-based objects permanently. Light damage is cumulative and irreversible, so you always want to balance the value of putting an object on display versus protecting it for the long term. Different types of objects are more susceptible to light damage than others – this chart is useful for understanding the different light sensitivities of various materials and offers suggestions for light levels and exhibit durations.

Swap objects mid-exhibit where possible. If you have multiple objects (or multiple pages in a book) that convey a similar story, either via format or content, plan to switch them out. Not only does this limit the light exposure for each individual object or page, but it can encourage repeat visitors to the exhibit.

Use facsimiles. If you do not have similar items to rotate out, consider making a high-quality facsimile – either a physical copy or an electronic copy displayed on a screen – that replaces the original mid-exhibit. Have the original on display at the opening of the exhibit and whenever crowds are likely to be largest. Digitized copies of multi-page objects, like books, albums, and scrapbooks can be displayed on screens that allow for visitor interaction, either in place of or alongside the original.  

Avoid overlap. Creating visual interest in an exhibit is important, and, in my experience, one of the go-to ways curators in library settings like to do this is by overlapping materials in the display case. This is an understandable impulse, since it allows for more materials to be included in the display and can recreate the feeling of an archive or scrapbook. The danger of overlapping materials is that they will fade at different rates, causing unsightly and unrepairable damage. A few alternative ways to create visual interest include:

• Printing images on labels to add color and additional information.
• Varying how objects are displayed in the case; for example, have some books open and others closed, place some documents on platforms or tilted at low angles, incorporate more 3-dimensional objects next to flat paper objects.  

Monitor the environment. It’s wise to include environmental and light monitoring devices in exhibit cases and spaces, and these can also function as good outreach tools. Adding labels next to facsimiles, dataloggers, or blue wool standard cards that explain what they are and why we use them can help shine a light, so to speak, on the importance of preservation.

Further reading:

This comprehensive Preservation Leaflet on Protecting Paper and Book Collections During Exhibition from the Northeast Document Conservation Center offers excellent information on both exhibits and loans.  

Connecting2Collections (C2C) Care offers a 4-part webinar series “Preservation Methods and Materials for Exhibitions.”

The list of resources included in this post from the Book and Paper Group of the American Institute for Conservation (AIC) are especially useful for those planning to display books.

This document, from the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts, offers a concise summary of light exposure and monitoring considerations.

An Oddy Test is the conservation-standard for determining whether materials used to create exhibit cases and mounts are safe for the objects. AIC maintains a database of materials that have been Oddy tested.

If you plan to loan materials to other institutions, understanding their lighting parameters, environmental conditions, and security plan are a crucial first step. Ask to see their AAM General Facility Report (or equivalent); and make sure you have a similar document prepared if you plan to borrow materials for your own exhibits.  

C2C also offers a webinar on insurance considerations for exhibit loans.

View additional articles in the Preservation Outreach and Engagement Series!