"The museum is moving!" Second episode of the web documentary on the museum makeover

The aim of the web documentary is to tell the story of the museum revamp and keep a record of the work, and also to share the key stages with Institut Pasteur staff, heritage professionals and the public – all those interested in this project combining heritage and scientific culture.

As part of the work to restore and renovate the Institut Pasteur's historical building, the museum had to be cleared of all its collections so that the building work could be undertaken. The Institut Pasteur therefore embarked on an unprecedented process to transfer its collections, following the collection review. 

Watch the video below for a behind-the-scenes glimpse of this complex procedure

 

The process involved three stages:

1. Preparation and packing of collections

he collections were meticulously packed to prevent any damage during transportation. They were then labeled and marked under the supervision of Stéphanie Colin, who is in charge of collections at the Pasteur Museum. This careful labeling was crucial to ensure traceability of the cultural objects. Around 20 large trucks from the firm Chenue, each with a capacity of 45 to 50m3, transported the collections to a temporary storage space in Le Bourget.

2. Anoxic treatment for collections containing organic materials

Collections containing organic materials (wood, paper and textiles) underwent a crucial intermediate phase before going into storage, known as anoxic treatment. This is a disinfestation treatment involving the removal of all oxygen. The items are placed in airtight enclosures or sealed bags where the oxygen level is mechanically lowered to 0% by injecting nitrogen. The aim is to eliminate any insects that might contaminate and damage the collections. The treatment, which lasts for 21 days without oxygen, is performed in stable temperature and humidity conditions to preserve the integrity of the objects. In total, 224m3 of collections were given anoxic treatment as a preventive measure.

3. Adding location codes and arranging the collections in the new storage location

The final phase was to arrange the collections in the permanent storage spaces belonging to the company Chenue, which are located in the Greater Paris region, meaning they are still within easy access for the museum team if necessary for restoration or loans to other cultural institutions. Adding a location code to each pallet or object when storing them meant that the team could keep track of every object. A total of 400m3 of collections are now in storage in Chenue's facilities, in full compliance with museum conservation conditions.