Kenosha, Wisconsin
Pritzker Military Archives Center
Securing Historic Military Artifacts for Grateful Generations
Honoring the Sacrifices of Our Soldiers
Approaching its 250th year of existence, the US Military has been preserving freedom through times of peace and war. Evidence of these heroic efforts can be found in many forms, including letters, books, weapons, posters, and more – each playing a pivotal role in telling the story of those who made a present sacrifice for the future good. These efforts shaped the history of the United States and should be displayed, remembered, and honored by all who benefit from them.
The mission of the Pritzker Military Museum & Library (PMML) and Pritzker Military Archives Center (PMAC) is to increase the public's understanding of military history, military affairs, and national security by providing a forum for the study and exploration of our military – past, present, and future – with specific focus on their stories, sacrifices, and values. This requires not only a dedicated staff of archivists and preservation professionals, but also state-of-the-art storage systems – like those Spacesaver designs, manufactures, and delivers – to properly preserve and protect these invaluable resources for generations to come.
Spacesaver's Museum Storage Solutions
Spacesaver's Museum Storage Solutions
Establishing A More Effective Home Base
As the Pritzker Military Museum & Library's collections continued to expand, its established systems were no longer the best option for facilitating future growth. Located in downtown Chicago, the building was running out of space without the option to expand its footprint. Administrators realized they had no choice but to seek out an alternative location to accommodate current collections, allow for integration with its archives center, and facilitate long-term growth.
Prior to making the decision to move, the Pritzker Military Museum & Library utilized predominantly static shelving solutions, which were reaching capacity. In an attempt to support a growing collection of approximately 40,000 artifacts – including letters, military documents, prints, posters, original artwork, glass plate negatives, photographs, weapons, and maps – and more than 65,000 volumes of books, administrators made the choice to convert to high-density storage at their new location.
Knowing they would need a strategic advisor that is well-versed in high-density storage, the Pritzker Military Museum & Library began the search for a strategic partner to bring their historic artifacts into the modern age of museum preservation through the creation of a facility that would perfectly reflect the stories of the past while making room for the future pieces of history.
Designing The Pritzker Military Archives Center
After thoroughly vetting potential partners to bring their vision to life, the Pritzker Military Museum & Library chose internationally-renown architecture firm JAHN for the project's design work. Knowing the value that PMML has brought to the military archives community and to those who are represented through the organization's artifacts, JAHN started work to deliver a facility that would honor their legacy. The initial design included multiple buildings – with the museum and workshops in one building, and archival storage in another – however, in order to promote accessibility and longevity, all aspects were brought under one roof in the newly-created Pritzker Military Archives Center (PMAC).
"Spacesaver was appointed early in the process to develop a concept for the shelving system, based solely on the demands of the Museum"
- Tobias Dold, Associate Principal at JAHN Architects
Preparing Resources for Deployment
With strategy for developing and outfitting their future home in place, staff at PMAC needed to prepare their archival items for the trip north. This process which took a year and a half to accomplish, essential for ensuring these invaluable artifacts are protected from agents of deterioration including dust, pests, water, and more, required staff to examine and replace the majority of the bankers' boxes used to house the materials. Upon arrival at the newly created facility in Kenosha, staff worked for six to eight months to properly categorize and distribute the materials into their new homes on the Powered High-Density Mobile Shelving systems.
Powering A Base(ment) Of Support
With approximately 9,400 square feet of exhibition space on the main floor of the facility, there's plenty of room to show off the Pritzker Military Archives Center's collections that are currently on display. The real showcase can be found in the form of Spacesaver's Powered High-Density Mobile Shelving systems located in the lower-level space, which hold the remaining pieces. All items for display and research are kept on-site within these systems – except for those that are loaned out to researchers and digital share partners. At the Chicago location, patrons were able to pull circulating library pieces directly. However, to further protect the safety of archival materials, now only approved staff will source and bring items to selected viewing/research spaces throughout the main level of the facility.
The most impactful way the Powered High-Density Mobile Shelving systems have helped Pritzker Military Archives Center staff work more efficiently within the space is by creating a more efficient footprint overall. By utilizing these versatile systems, they can take what would have been approximately 20,000 square feet of storage space and double it by removing wasted aisles. Let's take a closer look at what's in storage at the facility.
First Unit: Book Storage
No matter which side of the battle lines someone was on, their personal writings on the matter can be insightful for those who want to gain a better understanding of a conflict. As such, the staff at the Pritzker Military Archives Center has accumulated thousands of volumes of books centered around the military experience, ranging in sizes and conditions and each requiring their own specific level of security and care.
To best accommodate the vast literary collection and the dedicated individuals tasked with their care, our local Spacesaver representative provided high-quality steel Cantilever shelving units mounted on Powered High-Density Mobile Shelving systems. The systems, compromising 45 carriages of approximately 30' in length each, are designed to move independently or as a group to create 91 separate aisles that can be opened with the push of a button.
Each aisle is equipped with both aisle entry and Photo Sweep® sensors. For the aisles that contain highly valuable or fragile items, TUSC Technology Controls have been added to increase security by requiring users to enter a specific passcode to gain access.
FUN FACT: The Pritzker Military Archives Center's favorite feature of the Powered HDMS systems are the automated controls. With these in place, they can provide safety, security, and efficiency for their staff, visitors, and the artifacts themselves. Having collections ranging widely in age and value, being able to set a passcode for access to certain aisles allows them to control who has access to the collections within, while the safety sensors add an additional level of safety and security to the day-to-day operations that occur in the space.
Second Unit: Artifacts Storage
The military artifacts that the Pritzker Military Archives Center receives come from a diverse set of sources and present in all shapes and sizes. Because of this, their storage solutions must have the ability to be both strong enough to support these items and flexible enough to adjust to their varying heights and widths. Taking this into account, our local rep outfitted the artifacts storage section of the archives with sturdy-but-adaptable 4-Post Shelving untis mounted on our Powered High-Density Mobile Shelving systems.
For foot lockers to file folders, these versatile solutions can be manipulated to offer the most efficient and effective method of storage for over 500 archival collections. The storage area incorporates 18 carriages that combine to create 37 aisles of storage. Like their literary neighbors across the way, each aisle is equipped with aisle entry and Photo Sweep® sensors to help keep both personnel and possessions secure.
"The flexibility of our Spacesaver systems has made it very easy for us to store a wide range of materials in our collection. Being able to customize our storage workflow by mapping out the different areas within the modules ahead of time has allowed us to integrate things like hanging storage for framed materials, which is a significant upgrade over our previous system."
-Dustin DePue, Director of Museum Collections at Pritzker Military Museum & Library
Third Unit: Hanging Storage
If a picture is worth a thousand words, the Pritzker Military Archives Center had a lot to say when they transferred over their hanging art collection from the Chicago location. A common theme among storage sectors for the organization, their capacity was nearly a fifth of their supply at the time they moved – and that supply is continually growing. Taking this into consideration, Spacesaver's rep opted for a combination of static and mobile storage to maximize the allotted footprint within the facility.
The storage package included four Wall-Mounted Art Racks and 22 Powered High-Density Mobile Shelving systems with Carriage Mounted Art Racks that added another 43 aisles and 172 screens. In addition, the hooks our team provided for the Museum's hanging art are thicker and sturdier than previous options staff employed, providing less swing and making them less prone to damaging the artwork. Each of these mobile systems also include our aisle entry and Photo Sweep® sensors. Together, these versatile, high-capacity solutions allow the Pritzker Military Archives Center to securely store the 1,000-plus pieces they transferred over – including World War propaganda, war photos, and original art and photography – as well as leave room for future artwork.
Fit To Be Securely Hung
Fit To Be Securely Hung
Fourth Unit: Weapons Storage
Advancement towards promoting readiness is a key focus of the military and has been since its inception. This principle applies to many items, not the least of which, is the weaponry soldiers have utilized to defend our country. In addition to books, artifacts, and artwork, the Pritzker Military Archives Center has also received many different iterations of arms and supporting equipment.
Ranging in size and condition, these items require a specific storage setup to ensure they are properly handled and preserved and securely stored. To allow for this level of precision and care, our local representative outfitted the Weapons Storage Room with 4-Post Shelving that incorporate double doors and two levels of Weapons Rack III storage systems, as well as a 114" L x 36 3/8" H customized worktable with six lockable casters – allowing support in the efficient handling and processing of artifacts.
Reserve Unit: Room For Growth
From the beginning of the project, the Pritzker Military Museum & Library's goal was to get 25-30 years of growth from the storage systems they would employ at their new facility. While the initial impact of the already installed solutions will support the organization for many years to come, collections growth trends indicate that they will not be enough to reach this goal. With that and understanding the intricacies and pitfalls of installing rail systems to support mobile storage after a foundation has been set, our local rep presented the option of installation supplementary recessed rail during the facility's construction.
With this information, the Pritzker Military Archives Center decided to have recessed rails installed to fill the open spaces adjacent to both its artifacts and library storage mobile systems. By installing additional rails during the initial construction phase, future carriage installations can be completed in less time, will require no adjustment to the building's foundation, and will help to reduce the risk of damage to stored collections from construction vibrations or materials.
Technological Unit: Future Focused
To extend their reach beyond the bounds of their new facility, the Pritzker Military Archives Center is working to digitize their collections for better accessibility. Driven by the restrictions the COVID-19 pandemic put on visitors to the museum, not only will these efforts help to instantaneously share these relics with interested parties across the world, but they will also keep them preserved indefinitely.
The Prtizker Military Archives Center's Digital Lab contains a scanner that can accommodate 4'x 6' flat pieces, that is sensitive enough to capture the topographic layout of each piece. The scanner also uses no to low UV light to protect materials from their potential damaging effects. With the scanner, the lab also contains a 3D, 360-degree light box for imaging artifacts, models, and other 3D objects. To support the functionality of both valuable pieces of equipment, our local rep provided a 114" L x 36 3/8" H movable worktable featuring six lockable casters – similar to the one in the Weapons Storage space.
Sustainable Operations For Lasting Value
In addition to incorporating these valuable systems within the facility, the Pritzker Military Archives Center is integrating several sustainable operations. The building's structure is compromised of recycled steel and utilizes UV-coated glass panels to limit the effect the sunlight has on the internal temperature of the main floor space. Furthermore, the building is surrounded by a mixture of trees and tall grasses, helping in the temperature control. Lastly, a portion of the facilities electrical systems are supported by a solar panel field located in the southeastern corner of the property.
Maintaining Pritzker's Rate of Growth
Already experiencing a growing interest from visitors, researchers, and donors alike, the Pritzker Military Archives Center sees their Spacesaver systems as solutions for the long-term, ones that can provide them a modular space to offer lasting preservation and safety for their collections. By utilizing Spacesaver's Powered High-Density Mobile Shelving systems, the center can maximize their storage capacity and maintain their growth rate without worry – allowing them to continue to receive priceless artifacts from donors and further their mission.
According to Dustin DePue, the installation is already drawing the attention of other institutions and has driven several archival entities to come and see it for themselves. With the system in place – which includes installed recessed rails for future systems – he is confident the Pritzker Military Archives Center can operate to the highest standards and will continue to do so for years to come.
