Deterioration can be stopped!

Freezers = Stability:  Freezing the negatives will put them in a chemically inert state, and limit off-gassing. It is more cost-effective than scanning every negative and digitally storing them, and has the added benefit of preserving the historic artifact. This is the method currently in use by major historical museums with photographic collections.

Special Precautions:  Installing freezers to preserve our negatives is not a project that was taken on lightly. Photo conservator Gawain Weaver spent several days assessing our photograph collections and storage capabilities, and recommended installing individual freezers to preserve the Museum’s negatives.  Collections staff then spent months researching cold storage, including attending a seminar run by the Image Permanence Institute.  Members of the Museum’s Collections Committee also consulted conservators at the Getty and visited their freezer storage.

When the first freezer was installed, staff spent additional time doing “test runs” with supplies, equipment, and “test” negatives before placing any of our collections into the freezer.  When the negatives were stored in the freezer, they were first packed in archival boxes that were then wrapped in two layers of plastic bags, including a static shield bag and a polyethylene zip lock bag to create a micro environment for each box.  The freezer is equipped with 24 hour temperature and humidity data logger that collects data every minute and  is capable of alerting staff should temperature and humidity goes over the acceptable range.