Red Skelton Museum Improves Artwork Storage with Custom Art Storage Racks
During a museum renovation, the Red Skelton Museum of American Comedy at Vincennes University installed custom art storage racks to bring scattered artwork into one organized storage area. The new system improved art storage, made collections easier to access, and increased storage capacity within the available space.
Download Case StudyA collection storage project focused on framed artwork and smaller art pieces.
Completed for a university museum in the Evansville metro region.
The project supported the museum collections manager and the university architectural services team.
A blended layout combined stationary shelving with pull-out art storage racks for different artwork sizes.
Stationary shelving cubbies and pull-out art panels worked together to store smaller pieces and framed artwork in one room.
The museum needed to consolidate the collection in one location, improve retrieval, and increase storage capacity within the available footprint.
Scattered Artwork Made Collection Management Difficult
Before the renovation, artwork was stored in several locations throughout the museum. The new storage room needed art storage racks that could hold both large framed pieces and smaller artwork while improving access and making better use of the available space.
Scattered Collection
Artwork had been stored in multiple places across the museum, which made the collection harder to manage and retrieve. The renovation created an opportunity to bring those pieces into one dedicated museum collection storage area.
Mixed Frame Sizes
The collection included framed artwork in many shapes and sizes, including bulky frames that needed added clearance. A shelving-only layout would not have supported larger framed pieces and smaller artwork with the same level of access.
Limited Storage Space
The museum needed to increase artwork storage capacity without spreading shelving and aisles across too much floor space. The selected room had to provide denser art collection storage while keeping pieces reachable for staff and the collections manager.
Custom Art Storage Racks for Museum Collections
Southwest Solutions Group provided a blended artwork storage rack system with stationary four-post shelving configured as cubbies and four pull-out shelving units with five pull-out panels each. The cubbies created defined storage locations for smaller artwork, while the pull-out art storage racks improved access to framed pieces in different shapes and sizes. Each pull-out panel was spaced 12 inches apart to give bulky frames the needed clearance within the available footprint.
Stationary Cubbies and Pull-Out Art Panels
The installed system included numerous columns of four-post shelving configured as cubbies, along with four pull-out shelving units. Each unit included five pull-out panels for framed artwork storage.
Designed for Different Artwork Sizes
The museum needed a practical art storage shelving layout for both small pieces and bulky framed artwork. The blended system provided dedicated cubbies and pull-out art panels without relying on a larger high density shelving footprint.
Centralized Artwork Storage
The completed system consolidated artwork into one storage location and made stored pieces easier for museum employees and the collections manager to access. The layout also improved organization and created more usable floor space for the customer.
Planning and Installing the Art Storage System
The project was coordinated with the Architectural Services Department at Vincennes University, the museum collections manager, and the university procurement director. The customer wanted installation within four to five months of ordering, and the installation took three days. Before delivery, the team identified a doorway mullion that needed removal for material access, then adjusted the final layout on site after reviewing staff workflow with the architect and end user.
Collection Needs and Room Conditions Reviewed
Southwest Solutions Group worked with the university architectural designer and museum collections manager to review artwork storage goals, frame size variation, and renovation room conditions. The room was empty and ready for the new storage system when installation began.
Plan View and Pull-Out Panel Details Prepared
The design included plan view documentation and detailed drawings for the pull-out art panels. The layout accounted for stationary shelving, pull-out units, and 12 inches of spacing between panels for bulky framed artwork.
University Coordination Before Installation
Southwest Solutions Group coordinated with the university team so the artwork storage system would fit the renovation schedule and room requirements. Delivery and installation details were reviewed before the crew arrived to reduce surprises on site.
Doorway Access Reviewed Before Arrival
During delivery coordination, the team identified that a doorway mullion needed to be removed so materials could reach the installation area. Catching that detail ahead of time gave the install crew the information needed to complete the work without an access delay.
Three-Day Installation With Field Layout Adjustment
The installation took three days, and no on-site training was required. After materials were on site, the shelving and pull-out system were shifted following a workflow discussion with the architect, end user, and install crew.
Storage Layout Ready for Continued Collection Use
The finished arrangement gave the museum a defined artwork storage area for ongoing collection access and management. The final layout reflected field adjustments made to better fit how staff would use the room.
Art Storage Racks Improved Artwork Storage
The new art storage rack system brought artwork into one organized space designed for collections of different sizes. The museum gained faster retrieval, better organization, increased storage capacity, improved workflow, and more usable floor space.
Artwork Consolidated Into One Location
The main result was a single artwork storage area that brought the collection out of scattered locations across the museum. This gave museum employees and the collections manager a more practical place to store and retrieve artwork.
Faster Access to Artwork
Pull-out art panels improved access to framed pieces, while cubbies supported smaller artwork. The combination reduced the need to search across multiple storage areas and helped staff reach stored items more efficiently.
Storage for Large and Small Artwork
The system separated storage functions between cubbies and pull-out panels, giving the museum a clearer structure for the collection. The 12-inch panel spacing helped accommodate bulky frames without forcing them into unsuitable shelving.
More Capacity and Usable Floor Space
The new storage system increased capacity while helping the customer gain floor space that could be repurposed for another department. The finished area supports long-term collection access without spreading artwork throughout the facility.
We are very pleased with the installation and the products. Your team did a great job and they were easy to work with. Hopefully we can add additional storage in the future.
Museum Art Storage Rack Installation
The gallery shows the completed art storage rack system, including stationary shelving, storage cubbies, and pull-out panels designed for museum collections.
Plan a Custom Art Storage System for Your Museum
Southwest Solutions Group helps museums, universities, and cultural facilities plan storage systems for artwork, archives, collections, and specialty materials.
If your team needs to consolidate collections, improve access, or gain capacity within an existing footprint, our storage specialists can review the space and recommend a practical system.
One team from planning through project completion.
