Documenting and Assessing Collection Storage Environments in the National Museum of Denmark

The preservation of national identity and cultural heritage is very important to the Danish people, as indicated by the commitment of the Danish Ministry of Culture to fund this three-year research project, being carried out jointly by IPI and the National Museum of Denmark (NMD). Together, IPI and NMD are working to develop a holistic approach to the preservation of collections; treating the environment rather than treating individual objects is a great way to cut costs and conserve resources.

The project began in the fall of 2004. IPI’s preservation management technology and approaches are being applied in the evaluation of NMD’s storage and display spaces. The Preservation Environment Monitor® (PEM®) and Climate Notebook® software, along with related data from mechanical systems and the outdoor climate are providing a complete picture of the museum’s storage environments and their effect on collection materials. Together, the NMD conservation staff, facilities staff, and management are working with IPI to evaluate and improve the storage climate and thus optimize both operating costs and the preservation quality of the environment.