Saving an American Treasure: An Unparalleled Collection of Anthropological Photographs

By various photographers

Application

Display Cases

Category

Art Museum, University

Courtesy Arizona State Museum, The University of Arizona, Susan Hamilton, photographer.
Courtesy Arizona State Museum, The University of Arizona, Susan Hamilton, photographer.
Courtesy Arizona State Museum, The University of Arizona, Susan Hamilton, photographer.
Courtesy Arizona State Museum, The University of Arizona, Susan Hamilton, photographer.
Courtesy Arizona State Museum, The University of Arizona, Susan Hamilton, photographer.
Courtesy Arizona State Museum, The University of Arizona, Susan Hamilton, photographer.

Location

Arizona State Museum (ASM), The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA

Medium

Range of photographic media

Size

Various

Glazing

UltraVue® Laminated Glass

The Challenge

To protect a collection of anthropological photographic materials from exposure to unstable and extreme environmental conditions in the museum’s historic buildings.

The Solution

Fabrication of exhibit vitrines with 8.8 mm UltraVue Laminated Glass to display the most vulnerable photographs

Sealed display enclosure
The 5-sided 8.8mm UltraVue Laminated Glass vitrine, rather than acrylic, was necessary to offer optimal protection while minimizing the risks from the unstable and extreme environmental conditions of the museum’s historic buildings.

Anti-reflective
Cuts light reflections down to 1% compared to 8% with standard glass, allowing viewers to see the photographic media without distracting reflections.

Safety & Security
If glass breaks, shards remain in place to safeguard against injury and damage until the glass is replaced.  This product is ideal for valuable works, high traffic areas, and public event spaces.

The Work

ASM’s photographic collection documents 13,000 years of human occupation, ingenuity and artistry in the American Southwest.  The ASM exhibit, titled Saving and American Treasure: An Unparalleled Collection of Anthropological Photographs, consists of four different installations to be viewed over the course of two years and explains ASM’s preservation goals. Photographs selected for the exhibit include widely recognized images and some that are rarely seen. Certain photographs were selected because they provide specific examples of physical, chemical or biological decay. The overarching intent of the exhibit is not only to highlight the outstanding content of the collection, but also to teach and inform visitors about preservation challenges and measures the museum is taking to mitigate them.  These include fluctuations in temperature and humidity, the presence of pollutants and dust, and uncontrolled exposure to light.

More Info

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