Museum-style Display Cases: Top 5 Things To Consider Before Buying

Museum-style Display Cases come in a variety of styles, shapes and sizes but which one is the right one for you? We take a deep dive into the top 5 things to consider when purchasing a top quality display cabinet for your museum or gallery.

 

1. Shape

Museum-style Display Cases come in a vast range of shapes and sizes, ranging from tall Tower and Upright Display Cases to Mushroom, Pedestal and Treasury Display Cases. Size is critically important because it frames your display items – too big and your artefact will look lost, too small and it won’t have the room it needs to breathe comfortably and display to maximum effect.  Each shape offers a variety benefits and key to deciding which shape to opt for is thinking about what will work best for the objet d’art in question.

 

A Pedestal Display Cabinet can set off a single artefact beautifully and create an elegant stand-alone feature while the wide, flat, square, glass display area of a Mushroom-shaped Display Case commands immediate attention and is ideal for displaying multiple precious artefacts.

 

The elongated shape of Showfront’s Treasury Case is extremely versatile and can be used for multiple applications including displaying important historical documents. It can also be custom-built to house a single large artefact, like this aboriginal canoe from a private collection featured in the image above.   

2. Budget

Budget is perhaps the most important consideration for many museums, galleries and organisations wising to buy a Museum-style Display Case. Big city galleries will obviously have a little more budget to go around and can afford to spend a little more on customising display cases to their exact taste but smaller regional, municipal or corporate museums may be working with a lot less. Quality doesn’t have to be sacrificed – simply contacting the right manufacturer and getting the right advice on how to work with your budget will provide exceptional value for money and will allow your budget to go a lot further.  

3. Quality

It sounds obvious but it shouldn’t be underestimated - the quality of your museum-style display case is perhaps the most important element for success. A stylish, elegant, well lit display cabinet can look simply stunning in its own right and adds significantly to a beholder’s experience –  it’s the same reason beautiful masterpieces are displayed in beautiful picture frames. A top quality manufacturer will pay exceptional attention to the finish, materials and glasswork and should still provide exceptional value for money with a variety of options to match your budget.

 

4. Versatility

Versatility is crucial if you plan to rotate your display items. One shape might work exceptionally well for one artefact but perhaps not so well for another.  If this is the case, you should consider adjustable shelving to allow for different shapes and sizes for your display items. Perhaps the safest, most adaptable option in this scenario is to consider an Upright or Tower as your museum display case.   

5. Lighting

Lighting is one of those essential elements that just cannot be overlooked.  A poorly lit display fails to excite visitors and simply doesn’t do justice to the artefact.  Cool, energy-saving LED lighting should standard on Museum-grade display cases – the cooler temperature of the LED lights won’t damage your display items and they also provide a lighter carbon footprint.  A top quality Museum-style Display Case manufacturer will provide excellent advice on the configuration of the spotlights or downlights and helping your consultant to understand what you want to achieve is critical to the illumination of the display.   

If you're interested in finding out more about top quality Museum-style Display Cases, call out expert consultants and ask us about tailoring a solution for your museum, collection or gallery. We're always happy to help.

 

Showfront Museums – better quality, better value

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Durable, flexible, elegant and superbly crafted, Showfront offers a vast range of custom display cases for sale or hire. Compare the difference in price and quality - visit a Showfront showroom in Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane. Buy online now or call our friendly team on 1300 99 36 36.