How can I safely exhibit/display my collection item?

The most important preservation considerations for exhibition and display of collection items are:

  • temperature
  • relative humidity
  • lighting
  • quality of the exhibition supplies that touch or surround the object (e.g., mat, frame, exhibition case)

  • security

Helpful resources: Preservation Guidelines for Matting and Framing; Protecting Paper and Book Collections During Exhibition (Northeast Document Conservation Center).

Note: Permanent or long-term display of paper-based materials is never recommended because of the permanent and irreversible damage caused by light. If the item is of personal, monetary, or historic value, consider matting and framing a facsimile and keeping the original in a good storage and storage environment.

For more information about the exhibit policies and practices at the Library of Congress, see “Displays: The Role of Preservation in Exhibitions at the Library of Congress ” in the IFLA 2006 international symposium proceedings, The 3-D’s of Preservation: Disaster, Displays, Digitization, pp. 73-96. [PDF: 1.3 MB / 144 p].

Last Updated: Mar 02, 2021
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Preservation at the Library of Congress
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Send written correspondence to:

Preservation Directorate
Library of Congress
101 Independence Ave. SE
Washington, D.C.  20540-4530

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