In their previous storage the bird skins were not in an optimal environment, it could fluctuate in humidity and temperature and in the long term this can be very damaging to collections where objects can warp, disintegrate, become mouldy, dry out, become brittle or fade. As a short term solution each of the skins was sealed in its own plastic bag so that it was buffered from external factors; now that they are in a new, stable storage environment the plastic can be removed.
The Discovery Centre was built specifically to store objects owned by Leeds Museums and Galleries that are not currently on public display. It houses everything from antique washing machines and televisions to old dentists’ chairs, shop signs, fossils, minerals, Medieval canoes, fishing spears, clothes, toys, natural history and everything else in between. It is a windowless room with special lighting so that there is very little Ultra violate (UV) light which can be damaging to certain types of materials and it is also temperature and humidity controlled. Having objects in a consistently cool, humidity regulated, low UV environment means that the objects will stabilise and last much longer for future generations to come.
