EN 16141:2024

Conservation of cultural heritage - Guidelines for management of environmental conditions - Collection storage facilities: definitions and characteristics of buildings dedicated to the preservation and management of cultural heritage

This document defines the functions and characteristics of collection storage facilities. These can be independent or integrated into cultural institutions. They are dedicated to the preservation, storage, management of, and access to, collections.
NOTE   For the infrastructure and technical equipment of these collection storage facilities, see EN 16893:2018.

Erhaltung des kulturellen Erbes - Leitlinien für den Umgang mit Umwelt- und Umgebungsbedingungen - Sammlungsdepots: Definitionen und Merkmale von Sammlungszentren bestimmt für die Bewahrung und Pflege des kulturellen Erbes

Dieses Dokument legt die Funktionen und Merkmale von Sammlungsdepots fest. Diese können in kulturelle Institutionen integriert oder von diesen unabhängig sein. Sie dienen der Bewahrung, Lagerung, Verwaltung von Sammlungen sowie dem Zugang zu diesen.
ANMERKUNG   Für die Infrastruktur und technische Ausrüstung dieser Sammlungsdepots siehe EN 16893:2018.

Conservation du patrimoine culturel - Lignes directrices pour la gestion des conditions environnementales - Pôles de conservation : définitions et caractéristiques des bâtiments consacrés à la conservation et à l’exploitation du patrimoine culturel

Le présent document définit les fonctions et les caractéristiques des pôles de conservation. Ces derniers peuvent être indépendants ou intégrés à des institutions culturelles. Ils se consacrent à la conservation, au stockage, à l’exploitation et à l’accessibilité des collections.
NOTE   Pour ce qui concerne les infrastructures et les équipements techniques de ces pôles de conservation, voir l’EN 16893:2018.

Ohranjanje kulturne dediščine - Smernice za upravljanje okoljskih razmer - Javne izkopanine: definicije in karakteristike zbirnih centrov, namenjenih hrambi in ohranjanju kulturne dediščine

Ta dokument opredeljuje funkcije in karakteristike zbirnih centrov. Ti so lahko samostojni ali vključeni v kulturne ustanove. Njihov namen je hramba, shranjevanje, ohranjanje in zagotavljanje dostopa do zbirk.
OPOMBA: Za infrastrukturo in tehnično opremo teh zbirnih centrov glej standard EN 16893:2018.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 19-Nov-2024
• ICS: 97.195 - Items of art and handicrafts. Cultural property and heritage
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 346 - Conservation of cultural property
• Drafting Committee: WG 19 - Management and protection of collections
• Current Stage: 6060 - Definitive text made available (DAV) - Publishing
• Start Date: 20-Nov-2024
• Due Date: 06-Mar-2024
• Completion Date: 20-Nov-2024
• Ref Project: SIST EN 16141:2025 - Conservation of cultural heritage - Guidelines for management of environmental conditions - Open storage facilities: definitions and characteristics of collection centres dedicated to the preservation and management of cultural heritage

Relations

• Replaces: EN 16141:2012 - Conservation of cultural heritage - Guidelines for management of environmental conditions - Open storage facilities: definitions and characteristics of collection centres dedicated to the preservation and management of cultural heritage
• Effective Date: 19-Jan-2023

Overview

EN 16141:2024 (CEN) - Conservation of cultural heritage - Guidelines for management of environmental conditions - Collection storage facilities - defines the functions, organization and characteristics of buildings and areas dedicated to the preservation, storage, management and access of cultural collections. Approved November 2024 and superseding EN 16141:2012, the standard addresses storage facilities whether independent or integrated into museums, archives, libraries or archaeological stores. For infrastructure and technical equipment it refers to EN 16893:2018.

Key topics and requirements

EN 16141:2024 focuses on components that support long‑term preservation and operational management of collections. Major technical topics include:

• Functions of collection storage facilities: storage, collections management (study, display, consultation), collection services (movement, packing, workshops) and facilities management (security, plant rooms).
• Storage organisation: exclusive storage areas, logical distribution by collection or storage method, furniture adapted to object type, and preventive conservation measures.
• Environmental management: stable environmental conditions, control and monitoring of climate, light, pollutants and pests (procedures rather than prescriptive climate ranges are provided; see EN 16893 for technical systems).
• Safety and security: fire and major risk prevention, intrusion detection and access control measures.
• Operational procedures and documentation: protocols for movement, treatment, digitisation/photography, salvage/recovery, and maintenance of monitoring records.
• Design and technical components: guidance on planning needs, architectural layout, circulation (indoor/outdoor), staff and visitor facilities, and distribution between functional areas.
• Monitoring and maintenance: establishing monitoring regimes for areas, furniture and technical installations, with appropriate documentation.

Practical applications and users

EN 16141:2024 is used to:

• Guide design or refurbishment of collection storage facilities.
• Develop operational policies, access protocols and preventive conservation strategies.
• Structure workflows for collection managers, conservators and registrars handling storage, treatment and access.
• Inform facility managers and architects on functional requirements and spatial organisation for heritage collections.

Primary users:

• Museums, archives, libraries and archaeological repositories
• Collection managers, conservators, registrars and curators
• Facilities planners, architects and building managers working on cultural heritage projects
• Risk managers and security planners for heritage institutions

Related standards

• EN 16893:2018 - specifications for location, construction and modification of buildings/rooms for storage or use of heritage collections (infrastructure and technical equipment).
• EN 15898 - main general terms and definitions for conservation of cultural heritage (referenced for terminology).

Keywords: EN 16141:2024, conservation of cultural heritage, collection storage facilities, environmental conditions, preservation, collections management, CEN, EN 16893.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-januar-2025
Ohranjanje kulturne dediščine - Smernice za upravljanje okoljskih razmer - Javne
izkopanine: definicije in karakteristike zbirnih centrov, namenjenih hrambi in
ohranjanju kulturne dediščine
Conservation of cultural heritage - Guidelines for management of environmental
conditions - Open storage facilities: definitions and characteristics of collection centres
dedicated to the preservation and management of cultural heritage
Erhaltung des kulturellen Erbes - Richtlinien für den Umgang mit Umwelt- und
Umgebungsbedingungen - Schaudepots: Definitionen und Merkmale von
Sammlungszentren bestimmt für die Bewahrung und Pflege des kulturellen Erbes
Conservation du patrimoine culturel - Lignes directrices pour la gestion des conditions
environnementales - Pôles de conservation: définitions et caractéristiques des centres
des collections consacrés à la conservation et à l’exploitation du patrimoine culturel
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 16141:2024
ICS:
13.020.99 Drugi standardi v zvezi z Other standards related to
varstvom okolja environmental protection
97.195 Umetniški in obrtniški izdelki. Items of art and handicrafts.
Kulturne dobrine in kulturna Cultural property and
dediščina heritage
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EN 16141
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
November 2024
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
ICS 97.195 Supersedes EN 16141:2012
English Version
Conservation of cultural heritage - Guidelines for
management of environmental conditions - Collection
storage facilities: definitions and characteristics of
buildings dedicated to the preservation and management
of cultural heritage
Conservation du patrimoine culturel - Lignes Erhaltung des kulturellen Erbes - Richtlinien für den
directrices pour la gestion des conditions Umgang mit Umwelt- und Umgebungsbedingungen -
environnementales - Pôles de conservation : Schaudepots: Definitionen und Merkmale von
définitions et caractéristiques des bâtiments consacrés Sammlungszentren bestimmt für die Bewahrung und
à la conservation et à l'exploitation du patrimoine Pflege des kulturellen Erbes
culturel
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 13 October 2024.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this
European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references
concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN
member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by
translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management
Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2024 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN 16141:2024 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
European foreword . 4
Introduction . 5
1 Scope . 6
2 Normative references . 6
3 Terms and definitions . 6
4 Collection storage facilities: general organization . 7
4.1 Functions . 7
4.2 Storage . 7
4.3 Collections management . 8
4.3.1 General. 8
4.3.2 Documentation . 8
4.3.3 Photography and digitisation . 8
4.3.4 Study room . 8
4.3.5 Display . 8
4.4 Collection services . 8
4.4.1 General. 8
4.4.2 Movement . 9
4.4.3 Treatment . 9
4.4.4 Storage of packaging materials . 10
4.4.5 Workshops . 10
4.4.6 Storage area for exhibition or conservation equipment and furniture . 10
4.4.7 Salvage and recovery storage area . 10
4.5 Technical facilities . 10
4.6 Staff and visitor facilities. 10
4.7 Distribution and connection between the areas . 11
4.7.1 Indoor circulation . 11
4.7.2 Outdoor-indoor connection . 11
4.7.3 Access control. 11
5 Collection storage facilities: design and technical components . 11
5.1 Definition of needs and planning . 11
5.2 Architectural and technical components . 12
5.3 Safety and security . 12
6 Collection storage facilities: management, use of the collections and technical equipment
............................................................................................................................................................................. 13
6.1 General. 13
6.2 Operating procedures . 13
6.2.1 Collection management . 13
6.2.2 Collection storage facilities team . 14
6.2.3 Access and interventions of service providers . 14
6.2.4 Access for visitors or people outside the institution . 14
6.3 Monitoring of areas, furniture and small equipment . 14
6.3.1 General. 14
6.3.2 Maintenance and implementation of monitoring in the areas. 15
6.3.3 Documentation . 15
6.4 Monitoring of technical installations related to the operation (functioning) of the building
............................................................................................................................................................................. 15
6.4.1 Establishment of monitoring . 15
6.4.2 Documentation . 16
Bibliography . 17

European foreword
This document (EN 16141:2024) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 346 “Conservation
of cultural heritage”, the secretariat of which is held by UNI.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by May 2025, and conflicting national standards shall be
withdrawn at the latest by May 2025.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This document will supersede EN 16141:2012.
The main change compared to the previous edition is the introduction of the reference to EN 16893:2018
for infrastructure and technical equipment.
Any feedback and questions on this document should be directed to the users’ national standards body.
A complete listing of these bodies can be found on the CEN website.
According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organisations of the
following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,
Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North
Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and the United
Kingdom.
Introduction
The importance of preserving cultural heritage under the best conditions is imperative for all.
Cultural heritage institutions have the responsibility of preserving collections, either presented in spaces
dedicated to the public or stored in the dedicated areas (stored collections).
These dedicated stored collection areas should ensure the preservation, management, research and
conservation of the cultural heritage, and provide access to the public where appropriate. These areas
dedicated to the preservation of cultural heritage include various functions and can sometimes also be
made accessible to the public.
The purpose of the present document is to help the user in the design and function of these areas called
“Collection Storage Facilities”.
Collection Storage Facilities have four main purposes:
— to store collections while meeting conservation requirements;
— to facilitate access to the collections;
— to allow for the management of collections;
— to provide the safety and security of collections.
This document may be used for designing new collection storage facilities or for the improvement of
existing storage facilities.
The concept of collection storage facilities is general. It relates to places fulfilling the functions defined in
this document belonging to any type of institution (archives, libraries, archaeological stores, museums,…)
dedicated to the safekeeping of any type of collection (archives, books, archaeological items, etc.).
This document identifies the functions and space-related components of collection storage facilities. It is
complementary to EN 16893:2018 Conservation of Cultural Heritage — Specifications for location,
construction and modification of buildings or rooms intended for the storage or use of heritage collections.
1 Scope
This document defines the functions and characteristics of collection storage facilities. These can be
independent or integrated into cultural institutions. They are dedicated to the preservation, storage,
management of, and access to, collections.
NOTE For the infrastructure and technical equipment of these collection storage facilities, see EN 16893:2018.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
EN 15898, Conservation of cultural heritage - Main general terms and definitions
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in EN 15898 and the following apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp/
— IEC Electropedia: available at https://www.electropedia.org/
3.1
collection storage facility
place dedicated to the storage of collections, and to activities relating to their study, conservation and
management providing the necessary conditions required for collection accessibility, preservation, safety
and security and, if necessary, public access
3.2
protocol
agreed procedure defining the progress of an operation
3.3
safety
measures and actions taken to prevent disasters (whether of natural or human origin: fire, flood,
earthquake, etc.) and their effects on people and property
3.4
security
measures and actions taken to prevent theft and malicious acts (including vandalism)
3.5
storage
designated area where objects are housed providing the necessary conditions required for preservation,
safety and security while not on display
Note 1 to entry: The term “repository” is used in archives and libraries.
4 Collection storage facilities: general organization
4.1 Functions
Collection storage facilities are part of the general organization of one or several cultural heritage
institutions. Such premises constitute a set of areas isolated from each other but interdependent and
organized around functional circuits of circulation of cultural objects and persons.
Collection storage facilities have four principal functions:
a) permanent and temporary storage of objects;
b) collection management: study, display, consultation, and scientific examination of the collections;
some of these functions require areas dedicated to receiving the public;
c) collection services: movement, packing/unpacking, workshops, and sometimes physical treatment of
the collection;
d) facilities management (e.g. security system, alarm control unit, and plant room).
The purpose is to offer the best conditions for collections conservation and management. However, not
all functions of a collection storage facility necessarily require their own area. In the case of multi-function
spaces, the specificities and use of each function shall be respected without interfering with the others.
4.2 Storage
A clear and rational organization of the collections is important as well as policies and procedures for
managing operations related to the activities.
Collections shall be arranged in spaces which are exclusively devoted to them. These areas constitute the
central and vital core of the collection storage facilities. Preventive measures shall be the subject of
special attention: they affect both environmental conditions (climate, pollutants, light, etc.) as well as
safety and security (fire, major risks, etc.). Collection areas shall be kept dark, except when lighting is
required for access. They shall be provided with equipment to detect risks (fire, inappropriate
temperature and relative humidity; pests; volatile organic compounds, intrusion, etc.).
The distribution of the collections in storage areas shall follow these principles:
— stable environmental conditions adapted to the requirements of the various collections;
— clearly identified distribution (for example, by institution, by collection, by storage method, etc.);
— storage furniture such as cabinets, shelves, racks, exhibition furniture, etc. shall be adapted to the
collections (number, shape, weight, condition and preservation state) and to the activities of the
heritage institution. Their arrangement ensures easy and efficient accessibility of objects as well as
their safe handling. Storage furniture and all fittings shall not in themselves or in their materials
present hazards or cause damage to the collections.
The arrangement of storage areas (choice of furniture, placement, etc.) shall facilitate, without risk to
cultural objects and persons, the following interventions:
— identification of locations of the objects;
— movement of objects and staff;
— access to collections by maintaining a balance between the safety of the collections and their
accessibility;
— maintenance of floors, walls and furniture.
Storage areas and furniture shall be able to be adapted to the growth of the collections allowing optimal
use of the collection storage facilities over time.
For further information and technical elements, see EN 16893:2018, 5.3.4.2.
4.3 Collections management
4.3.1 General
Collections management areas fulfil the functions of study, consultation and preparation for display.
These functions shall be carried out in protected spaces and with preservation conditions appropriate to
the collections and similar to those in the storage areas. If collections require particular preservation
conditions (e.g. cold storage), the relevant acclimatization measures shall be applied.
4.3.2 Documentation
The documentation process includes e.g. identification, description, location, measurement, and labelling
of objects. All of this information shall be registered into a computerized database. This work shall take
place in an area close to the storage area and allow the handling and temporary movement of the objects
to be inventoried. During the documentation process, no other activity shall be carried out in the vicinity
of the objects.
4.3.3 Photography and digitisation
Photography and digitisation, which may be for documentation, exhibition, scholarly, promotional or
conservation purposes, shall be carried out in a designated area facilitating and limiting, if possible, the
movement of people and objects. These spaces shall only house the objects during imaging.
4.3.4 Study room
In the study room, objects are made available for study and research. This area shall be close to the
storage areas and shall allow the safe examination and easy handling of the objects, as well as access to
digital documentation, such as files, database and internet connections. It shall contain only the objects
being examined.
In archive centres, documents being examined for several days shall be stored in a specific and secure
place.
4.3.5 Display
If the storage facilities are connected to public exhibition areas, handling, packing, moving and
conditioning of the objects shall meet the same protocols as all other objects in transit. This also applies
to loaned objects. Public entry to the exhibition areas shall be separate from any access to other activities
in the storage facility. It shall be reinforced with a control area for visitor access.
NOTE For additional information and technical elements, see EN 16893:2018, 5.3.4.3.
4.4 Collection services
4.4.1 General
Collection services include all operations relating to the movement and care of objects, especially those
related to exit from or entry to the collection storage facility. Service areas shall be located in separate
areas, connected on one hand to storage areas, and on the other hand with collections management areas.
The following principles shall be respected:
— collection service activities shall be carried out in areas separate from those for storing the objects;
— objects shall be present in these spaces only on a temporary basis;
— objects shall be subject to the same environmental conditions as in the storage areas, with the
possible exception of workshops (4.4.5), and storage areas for emergency response
equipment (4.4.7);
— objects shall be subject to the same security and safety conditions as in the storage areas;
NOTE National standards for health and safety and for operating equipment can apply.
4.4.2 Movement
4.4.2.1 Transit and transport
Movements within the facility (transit) and movements to and from the facility (transport) shall be
subject to a protocol, listing rules for protection and handling of
...