Packing, Moving and Shipping
Knowing how best to pack, move, and ship collection objects is a necessary skill for most collection professionals. The Alliance has compiled this set of packing, moving, and shipping resources from amongst its own offerings as well as those throughout the nonprofit and museum sector.
Alliance Resources
The Alliance provides Tier 3 museum members with sample courier policies and handling procedures.
Other Resources
The following resources were compiled from organizations throughout the nonprofit and museum sector. AAM reviewed and approved each one based on the organization’s authority and expertise and the resource’s usefulness related to the topic. Clicking the links below will take you off the AAM website.
Handling and Shipping Cellulose Nitrate Film
The National Park Service (NPS) offers a Conserve O Gram (PDF) on handling and shipping cellulose nitrate film.
How Do I House Glass Plate Negatives?
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) provides procedures for housing glass plate negatives.
The Science Learning Division of the Science Museum of Minnesota undertook the Herculean task of packing and moving the museum’s collections. Download the full published book: Moving the Mountain: the Science Museum of Minnesota’s Guide to Moving Collections.
Moving, Packing and Shipping Furniture
Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute offers guidance on packing and moving furniture.
Objects on the Move! Packing and Transporting Collections
This webinar presented by the Connecting to Collections Care from the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation concerned the moving of collections into temporary or new storage or re-configuring existing storage.
The Preparation, Art Handling and Collections Care Information Network (PACCIN), shares information about packing, crating, shipping, rigging, storage, installation, mount making, exhibition fabrication, and technical and material updates.
Packing and Shipping Paper Artifacts
The Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) has a technical leaflet on packing and shipping paper artifacts. It reviews shipping options and instructions for flat paper, rolled objects, books, and objects framed under glass.
Packing Museum Objects for Moving
The Arts Council England provides a useful tool to help museum professionals assess and learn how to pack and move museum objects.
Retrofitting a Moving Van to Transport Museum Collections
The National Park Service (NPS) offers a Conserve O Gram (PDF) with tips for retrofitting a moving van for transporting museum objects.