About the Client
If any place can be said to be the birthplace of photography it is Lacock Abbey, the family home of William Henry Fox Talbot. It was here in his Wiltshire home that Fox Talbot developed the calotype process of photography, enabling multiple prints from one negative.
Visitors to Lacock Abbey can see the oriel window that Fox Talbot photographed in what is perhaps the most important photo in history – the one that made all others possible. At the entrance to the Lacock Abbey grounds stands a Grade II listed 16th-century barn that has been converted into the Fox Tablot museum. A fascinating place that covers his life and the birth of photography in general.
The Requirement – New Comprehensive Museum Storage Shelving.
The team at the Fox Talbot museum was looking to maximise their back of house museum storage. With a huge collection of photographic inventory, storage was needed to both house its existing collection, and the Fenton Photographic Collection which was being transferred from the BFI. To achieve this the collection store needed to be renovated and fitted out with a selection of high density shelving.
The biggest challenge was the diverse collection that it was to contain, this included (amongst other items):
- Hundreds of photographic boxes containing images and negatives.
- Cameras
- Film reels
- Historic optical equipment
- Lamps
- Framed artwork/images
- Film developing equipment and chemicals
- Miscellaneous boxes and trays
These items, which varied dramatically in size and weight, would need to be catalogued and stored in an organised way for security and deposit/retrieval purposes. Due to the size and weight of some of the items, easy access was a priority, to allow items to be moved easily in and out of the store without damage.
After discussions with a number of parties, Rackline were awarded the contract, based on their comprehensive audit, understanding of the requirements and previous experience implementing museums storage solutions.
The Solution
Following the Rackline team’s audit of the existing inventory and incoming items, they suggested 24 bays of its popular Prospan Widespan shelving solution. This was robust, able to deal with the hundreds of photographic boxes and miscellaneous collection items. These large open shelves allowed the quick deposit and retrieval of even the largest items within the collection.
Being open on both sides allows light to permeate, keeping the room feeling open and spacious. Labelling keeps the items correctly catalogued and easy to find when required, further it aids in the quick switching of visitor displays and keeping a track of valuable items.
The Result
The Museum Storage area now has huge capacity. The robust storage shelving holds its collection safely in an easy to access format, that prevents damage to items being deposited or taken out of the storage room. The museum storage shelves accommodate their existing inventory, and can easily be adjusted and expanded as their needs change.
Find Out More
To find out more about Rackline’s museum storage solutions visit our dedicated page, drop us a message to: now@rackline.com, or call: 01782 770144. Alternatively fill in the form below and one of our teams will be in touch.