Blanton Museum Improves Museum Art Storage with Art Storage Racks
Project SnapshotBlanton Museum Improves Museum Art Storage and Collection Access
Southwest Solutions Group provided art storage racks for The University of Texas Blanton Museum in Austin, Texas. The Collections and Exhibitions department needed a better way to organize artwork, improve museum collections storage capacity, and recover valuable staging space while maintaining access to existing art racks.
Museum storage upgrade that improved artwork organization, increased storage space, and made collections easier to access and preserve.
The installation was completed for The University of Texas Blanton Museum.
The storage upgrade improved artwork storage and organization.
Art storage racks increased storage capacity while preserving access to existing racks.
Vertical diamond grid double-sided frames created organized hanging storage for collection pieces.
The museum needed to increase storage capacity, improve artwork organization, and create more usable staging space for collection management.
Museum Art Storage Challenges Limited Collection Capacity and Access
The Blanton Museum's art rack room had a constrained layout, with existing ceiling-supported pull-out racks on one side and boxes plus larger items on the other. The museum needed a storage approach that could improve art rack room organization, gain usable storage space, and preserve access to the existing overhead racks.
Limited usable storage space
The art rack storage room was running out of space, making it harder to accommodate hanging artwork and larger collection items within the existing footprint.
Hard-to-operate ceiling-supported racks
One side of the room included existing ceiling-supported pull-out art racks that were difficult to operate. Any new museum art storage solution needed to maintain access to those racks rather than block their use.
Large items took up floor space
The other half of the room was mainly occupied by boxes and larger items on the floor. This reduced available staging space for larger collection items that are not easily stored.
Art Storage Racks Increased Museum Storage Capacity
Southwest Solutions Group provided art storage racks with vertical diamond grid double-sided frames. The solution organized hanging pieces within the existing art rack room and helped the museum gain needed storage space. The layout also allowed the existing overhead art racks to be pulled directly into the aisle when in use.
Art storage racks with double-sided frames
The installed racks used vertical diamond grid double-sided frames. The frames provided defined hanging surfaces for artwork within the museum's existing art rack storage room.
A layout compatible with existing overhead racks
The layout was selected because it fit the available space and maintained access to the existing overhead art racks. It also created a more organized storage area for hanging collection pieces.
More organized use of the art rack room
The solution helped organize hanging pieces and improved the use of available storage space in the art rack room. It also supported the museum's need to recover staging space for larger collection items.
Planning and Preparation Kept the Project on Track
The project moved forward after the museum received funding and confirmed that the proposed layout was within budget. Once ordered, the storage upgrade had an estimated lead time of three to four months. The museum anticipated being ready for installation approximately eight to nine months after placing the order.
Existing art rack room conditions reviewed
The project focused on an art rack room with ceiling-supported pull-out racks, floor-stored boxes, and larger collection items. The goal was to recover space, improve organization, and keep the existing overhead racks accessible.
Art rack layout planned around rack access
The layout was selected because it fit the available space and allowed the existing overhead art racks to pull into the aisle when needed. The design helped organize hanging collection pieces while maintaining access to existing storage equipment.
Funding and procurement path aligned
After securing funding, the museum moved forward with purchasing the art racks through the Vizient contract.
Lead Time Aligned with Installation Schedule
The storage upgrade had an estimated lead time of three to four months when the order was placed. That timeline aligned with the museum's anticipated schedule for preparing the space and completing installation.
Art storage racks installed in May 2026
Installation started on May 11, 2026 and ended on May 28, 2026. The completed installation provided art storage racks with vertical diamond grid double-sided frames for hanging collection pieces.
Storage layout positioned for continued use
After installation, the art rack room had a more organized storage solution for hanging pieces and staging needs. The layout also preserved use of the existing overhead racks by allowing them to pull into the new aisle.
Results: Improved Museum Artwork Storage and Collection Organization
With the art storage racks in place, the Blanton Museum gained needed storage space and improved organization in the art rack room. The upgrade also recovered staging space for larger collection items that are not stored very easily, while maintaining use of the existing overhead art racks.
More organized museum art rack storage
The art storage racks organized hanging pieces within the museum's existing storage room. This addressed a room previously constrained by difficult rack access, floor-stored boxes, and larger items.
Existing overhead racks remain accessible
The new layout allows the existing overhead art racks to be pulled directly into the aisle. This preserved rack access while adding organized hanging storage capacity.
Hanging pieces moved into a defined storage solution
Vertical diamond grid double-sided frames created structured hanging surfaces for collection pieces. This helped the room move away from a mix of floor storage and constrained rack access toward a more organized art storage layout.
Staging space recovered for larger collection items
The museum recovered staging space for larger collection items that are not stored very easily. That recovered space supports continued collection handling needs within the existing art rack room.
Before and After Museum Art Storage Improvements
Project images show the storage room before installation, including existing ceiling-supported racks and floor-stored items, and after installation of the art storage racks.
Need to recover space in a museum collections storage room?
Southwest Solutions Group helps museums evaluate art rack rooms, existing rack systems, and available space to identify practical storage improvements.
If your team needs to recover floor space, organize hanging pieces, or support collection storage needs, request a consultation to discuss your project.
One team from planning through project completion.
