This could be the best definitive guide to Museum display cases in 2018.
Before checking this museum display cases guide,
You might be wondering:
How to make custom museum display cases?
What types & materials of museum display cases should I take?
How to work with museum display case manufacturers?
That’s what we are going to cover in the rest of this guide.
Let’s check out the listed outline first:
- the definition of museum display case
- museum display cases materials
- museum display cases types
- museum display case lighting
- active humidity generator for museum display cases
- how to design custom museum display cases
- how to work with museum display case manufacturers
Want to know the best part?
You’ll also get access to seeing 25 amazing museum designs,
Plus a video to show the new technology of opening doors of museum display cases.
Now, let’s dive into the content:
1. the definition of museum display case
A museum display case (showcase, display cabinet, or vitrine) is a cabinet with one or often more transparent glass (or clear acrylic usually) surfaces, used to display objects for viewing. A display case may appear in a museum, exhibition, retail store, restaurant, or house. Often, labels are included with the displayed objects, providing information such as description or prices. In a museum, the displayed cultural artifacts are normally part of the museum’s collection, or are part of a temporary exhibition.
2. museum display cases materials:
Metal
Metal (stainless steel, powder-coated steel, aluminum) is the preferred material for display cases and storage shelving or cupboards. It is strong, smooth, inert, non-flammable and does not emit any harmful vapors. However, to prevent rusting in situations with high humidity levels, it should always be covered with a protective layer, preferably a baked enamel finish rather than a paint.
Wood
Woods produce harmful vapors such as formic and acetic acid and peroxides, although some are worse than others. Freshly cut and unseasoned wood produces the greatest quantities of these vapors.
Composites, such as plywood, chipboard, particleboard, fibreboard and masonite all could cause problems. Some MDF and plywood uses a higher grade of adhesive that other composites and so is more stable if a wood composite must be used. It does however still emit some formaldehyde
The release of harmful vapors by wood and wood products is a normal chemical process that cannot be prevented entirely. The only way to minimize the emission of any harmful gases is to seal the wood with either a paint-on sealant or a barrier foil.
Plastics
Many plastics off-gas over time and produce plasticizers that can damage certain materials. Plastics such as PVC, chlorinated rubbers, cellulose nitrate, cellulose acetate, or rubbers with sulfur vulcanizing agents should not be used because they contain chlorine and are a danger to museum objects. Plexiglas, lucite, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, polystyrene, acrylic, and polycarbonate plastics are all safe to use.
Plastics such as Plexiglas and acrylic are a good choice as barriers to prevent visitors from touching objects on display. Vitrines made of these materials are useful for protecting objects from dust and airborne pollutants. Plexiglas and acrylic are also effective barriers for security of objects from theft or physical damage.
Fabrics
Fabrics should be chosen carefully. Wool and all fabrics coated with fire retardants or finishes and foam or adhesive-backed fabrics have been found to give off harmful vapors and are therefore not recommended.
Undyed and unbleached cotton and linen fabrics are safe to use as long as they are thoroughly washed and rinsed prior to installation. The ideal fabrics for case design are those held together by thermal/spin bonding or needle punched. Textile surfaces should not have surfaces that can stick to the surface of the objects being displayed.
Glass
Glass is safe for use near museum objects. It is scratch resistant, gas impermeable and is available laminated or coated with UV-filters. Weight may be a disadvantage though, and its low surface temperature may cause condensation and mould growth on the glass and also on organic materials that become damp as a result of the condensation.
3. museum display case types
Two years back we wrote a blog named “5 types of museum display cases”, the list is as below:
1. Table Top Museum display; 2. Freestanding display case;
3. Wall display cabinet; 4. Modular display case; 5. Drawer cabinet;
4. museum display case lighting
Nowadays LED lighting is very widely used in display cases, because of the following advantages:
1: LED lighting features Long Operational Life Time Expectations;
2: LED lighting features a much better energy efficiency;
3: LED lighting Is much more eco-friendly;
4: LED illumination can withstand rough conditions;
5: LED lighting features close to no UV emissions;
6: LED lighting has powerful flexible design features;
7: It is operational in extremely cold or hot temperatures;
8: LED Lights achieve higher application efficiency;
9: LED lights can be turned on/off many times;
10: LED lighting can run on low-voltage power supply.
LED light types:
LED rigid strip; LED rope lights; LED spot lights; LED stand pole lights
LED light colors:
Warm white(2000-3000K) Cool White (3100-4500K) Daylight (4600-6500K)
Warm white color is most widely used in museum display cases.
5. Active Humidity Generator for Museum Display cases
Control of temperature and relative humidity is critical in the preservation of library and archival collections because unacceptable levels of these contribute significantly to the breakdown of materials.
The humidity generator is a novel approach for controlling humidity and temperature in museum display cases.
Once the machine is setup, humidity inside the display case will be maintained for years without the necessity of checking water level, adding water or any other regular maintenance. The devices are able to maintain relative humidity from below 17% up to 55% at ambient temperatures of from below 0°C up to 40ºC. The units are of modular design; the main unit can be connected to many slave units to achieve necessary capacity for a particular application. Thanks to this design the client pays only for needed capacity .
6. How to design museum display cases
- Get the floor plan of museum, or sketch/ideas of museum display case from customer;
- Mutual communication to work out the layout and museum display case types;
- Start 3-D renderings as per previous requirements about material, color, type and functions;
- Modify the 3-D renderings according to customers’ feedback;
- Start the Technical drawings as per approved 3-D renderings;
- Approve or make the final modifications after checking the first technical drawings;
- Start the Manufacture as per approved Technical drawings;
7. How to work with museum display case manufacturer
1. Send Inquiry
- “Where there is an idea, there is a solution.”
- We are happy to listen to your requirements, welcome to contact usfreely:
- Our professional sales will follow up your inquiry and guide you to the next steps, such as design, pricing, payment, shipping and installation etc.
2. Get Design Solutions
- if you have floor plan, technical drawings and 3D rendering ready, we can work out the quotation for you soon.
- if you do not have design yet, we are glad to make design for you after knowing your detailed requirements and project budget.
3. Order and Deposit
- After getting the approved design, we will send you formal Quotation
- You will receive theInvoice once our quotation is accepted.
- When you are ready to start the project, please arrangedown payment by T/T(Telegraphic Transfer), Western Union etc.
4. Production and Inspection
- Once we received your deposit payment, we will start the production quickly as per your confirmed drawings.
- During the production, we will keep you posted about the production status.
- We can send you detailed photos of finished products for your approval before shipping. Of course, welcome to visit our factory to inspect the showcases personally.
5. Balance Payment and Delivery
- When product inspection is finished, we will make packaging and arrange the shipping as per your schedule. Before shipping, please make balance payment.
- We have professional shipping forwarders to arrange flexible delivery worldwide. You can choose best cost-effective transportation modes such as sea shipping, air transport, express door to door service etc.
6. After-sales Service
- After shipping, we will track and update the shipping status till you receive the cargoes. Most of the display showcases are assembled and ready-to-use.
- Ujoy team is happy to offer installation and maintenance guide, to help you open and run the museums efficiently.
