Museum Showcase
A museum showcase display (also known as a shadow box or vitrine) is a cabinet specially designed to store and display exhibits for the purposes of research, education and appreciation. Distinct from ordinary cabinets, Museum display showcase offer enhanced conservation and security capabilities to preserve their contents. They also have aesthetic characteristics to enhance their visual impact on viewers. Museum showcases can appear in a variety of venues including exhibitions, museums, retail stores, restaurants and houses. Often, labels are included with the displayed cultural artifacts to provide information such as description or prices.
While some museum-quality showcases are framed, others are frameless to allow unobstructed viewing of the items being displayed. They are usually offered in a wide range of sizes and styles from wall-mounted to freestanding. They can include shelves and are normally equipped with lighting to illuminate the displayed objects. They may be fabricated from a variety of materials including stainless steel and glass. The glass is typically offered in a selection of finishes from low-iron or laminated extra clear to anti-reflective.
Whether they are constructed from wood, glass or acrylic, museum-quality showcases need to be secure enough to protect the sensitive items they contain. To prevent theft, these cases are generally secured with a lock and key system that ensures that only authorized personnel can access the items inside. They are designed to be durable and to withstand normal wear and tear, while providing maximum visibility of the items on display.
Museum Showcase Display
As museums evolve, some are changing their focus to not only the objects they showcase, but also to the ideas that they promote. For example, an offshoot of the Simon Wiesenthal Center has a museum called the Tolerance Museum that encourages people to become more open-minded and less prejudiced. Another example of a new type of museum is the Adoption Museum being developed in Berkeley, California by Laura Callen, who was adopted as a child and hopes to establish a museum that will help other adoptive children.
Some museums have special circumstances that require their displays to be more secure than other types of display cases. For example, museums with collections of valuable artworks and historical textiles need to be able to control the environment in which the pieces are stored and exhibited. This requires specialized supports such as Textile Conservator’s mounts made of Ethafoam or Polyester Batting. These support structures hold historic garments securely and provide protection from damage while displaying them for public viewing.
Other museums may need to be able to rely on government indemnity schemes to keep their exhibits safe from theft and loss. These schemes are similar to insurance and provide cost-free compensation for loss or damage to artifacts while they are on loan. They are available to national and local museums, as well as private galleries and collectors. They provide coverage during the period when the museum is exhibiting and when it returns to storage. This is an important safeguard for museums that would otherwise need to purchase commercial insurance, which can be costly.