Visible Storage

　The mission of art museums is to procure artworks that align with their collection policy, and conserve them by storing them in a suitable environment so that they can be passed on to future generations. Museums also bear a responsibility to display these artworks and exhibit them to the public so that they can be enjoyed by everyone.

　Museums conserve artworks by keeping them in “collection storage”. Collection storage facilities protect artworks from theft and natural disasters. They are also carefully designed and maintained to guard against various factors that may damage artworks, such as temperature variations, ultraviolet rays, light, mold, acids and alkalis, pests, and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).

　Collection storage facilities can usually only be accessed by a limited number of permitted personnel. However, the renovations to the Miyagi Museum of Art have allowed us to implement Visible Storage. This new facility eliminated the boundary between storage and exhibition space, allowing visitors to gain an understanding of the scope of the museum’s collection while learning about the features of collection storage.