When the Trout Museum of Art (Appleton, Wisconsin) undertook the design of its new facility in 2024, it sought not only secure storage for its collection but — importantly — a way to balance preservation with public access. Through a collaboration between Bradford Systems and Asgaard Systems, the museum transformed a previously hard-to-manage vault into a visually engaging, space-efficient, and collection-safe environment.

This project showcases how modern museum storage can be functional, elegant, and visitor-friendly. Let’s dive in!

The Challenge: Legacy Museum Storage Was Holding the Art Collection Back

Before the remodel, the collection at Trout Museum of Art was stored on outdated shelving and makeshift racks, often organized with temporary screens. This was a setup that limited accessibility, risked damage, and rendered most of the collection invisible to the public, undermining the preservation of cultural heritage and planning for future growth.

The museum’s leadership recognized a key problem: with limited exhibit space and growing archives, their old system couldn’t scale. The goals for the new facility were ambitious: secure storage, flexible access, maximizing floor space, collection preservation—and, importantly, a way for the public to engage with works typically confined to vaults.

A Bold Vision: Visible Storage Meets Practicality

At the heart of the redesign was a commitment to visible storage:  a concept many leading museums have adopted to bring a larger portion of their collection into public view while ensuring the safety and compliance with site policies for proper preservation, including the use of storage cabinets.

For Trout Museum of Art, this meant designing storage that didn’t simply store art — but also effectively displayed it, even when not actively on exhibit. That vision shaped our approach.

What We Delivered: Custom Art Racks & Storage Solutions

Working in tandem with Asgaard Systems, Bradford Systems provided a range of museum-specific storage systems, including art racks tailored to the museum’s needs. The key components:

• A ceiling-supported sliding art rack system positioned in front of an overhead door leading from the prep/storage area to the gallery. This rack doubles as a “door” but also as hanging wall space. When closed, it conceals the prep area; when open, it displays art — effectively adding roughly 125 ft² of gallery-ready wall space without expanding the building footprint.

• A free-standing modular art rack system, designed without floor anchoring, offering flexible framed art storage. Its mobility allows curators to easily reorganize pieces as new acquisitions occur or exhibition needs change.

• Traditional 4-post shelving with framed doors, used for two-dimensional works and other stored items. The framed doors offer a clean aesthetic, ensuring the vault area — visible through glass — looks finished rather than utilitarian.

These solutions addressed multiple needs at once: collection protection, storage density, flexible access, and public visibility.

Why These Solutions Worked: Functionality, Aesthetics & Budget Alignment

Maximized Storage Without Sacrificing Design

Because the ceiling-supported rack eliminated the need for floor posts or columns, the storage could remain unobtrusive — preserving sightlines for visitors, which is beneficial for museum staff. This approach reflects best practices in modern museum storage design: compact but unobtrusive, ensuring solutions withstand the test of time.

Flexible & Scalable for Future Collections

The modular textile racks offer adaptable storage capacity as the museum acquires new pieces. The free-standing design with steel construction allows future reconfiguration without costly renovation — critical for museums with evolving collections.

Increased Public Engagement & Transparency

By combining visible storage with a glass viewing corridor and transparent vault design, the museum invites patrons “behind the scenes.” This method enhances site traffic and site interaction by deepening visitor engagement and allowing greater appreciation of a collection’s scope beyond rotating exhibits.

Budget-Conscious Design & Smart Engineering

Rather than over-engineer the storage — which can lead to unnecessary cost, shipping overhead, and structural reinforcements — we based the design on the actual volume and average weight of the collection. Close collaboration with the building architect and precise engineering calculations ensured a smooth integration, minimal additional infrastructure costs, and adherence to budget constraints. We strategically involved service providers to enhance our approach.

On-Time Delivery Under Tight Deadlines

The project had a tight schedule: the installation was required for the museum’s grand opening, just 17 weeks after finalizing the design. Initially slated for ocean freight, we detected potential delays and pivoted to air freight—a decision that ensured timely delivery and flawless installation, with optimal storage space, in time for the opening. 

The Impact: Making Hidden Art Visible — Forever

The redesigned storage at Trout Museum of Art achieved more than just better organization. It transformed how the public interacts with the collection, providing better site experiences. Some of the key impacts:

• Works previously hidden from public view are now accessible to visitors through visible storage — deepening engagement and transparency.
• The added hanging space (from the ceiling-supported rack covering the overhead door) increased gallery capacity without expanding the building.
• Curatorial and conservation staff gained a system that balances easy access with secure long-term storage.
• The modular design allows for growth and flexibility as the museum’s collection expands.

Lessons Learned & Advice for Institutions Considering Similar Projects

If your institution is thinking about upgrading storage or building a new collection facility, here are some suggestions gleaned from the Trout Museum of Art installation:

• Begin with a detailed inventory. Understand the number, size, and weight of artworks. This foundational data drives all design and engineering decisions.
• Prioritize visible storage where possible. Visible storage — whether through glass walls, sliding racks, or transparent vaults — boosts engagement and maximizes the return on your facility footprint.
• Choose engineering-driven design over over-specification. Designing systems based on actual needs rather than “maximum possible loads” keeps budgets efficient and installations feasible.
• Collaborate early with architects and storage specialists. Early alignment between your design team, storage vendors, and architects helps avoid costly structural changes later.
• Stay flexible in logistics planning. Unexpected delays during manufacturing or shipping can derail deadlines. Having backup options (like air freight) can save the project schedule.

“Their staff has been extremely positive. They love how much easier it is to access and move artwork, and how the finished installation exceeded expectations. They also appreciated the communication throughout the process and felt the team was attentive to the unique needs of a museum environment.”

Why Bradford Systems Is Your Trusted Partner for Modern Museum Enhancements

At Bradford Systems, we view museum collections as more than objects — they are cultural assets that deserve careful preservation and thoughtful presentation. This unique project demonstrates what is possible when expertise, design integrity, and client collaboration come together.

We offer:

• Custom art racks and shelving systems designed for visible storage and collection safety, with custom storage solutions
• Flexible modular storage that grows with your collection
• Engineering know-how that balances structural integrity with budget constraints
• Project management from design through manufacturing, shipping, and installation
• A commitment to meeting tight timelines without compromising quality

If you’re planning a new facility or considering upgrading your storage, Bradford Systems has the experience to deliver a solution that supports preservation, visibility, and long-term collection growth. Our museum space planning expert, Ryan Mawhinney, led this successful project in collaboration with Asgaard Systems.

Let’s Bring Your Collection Into the Light

Every museum has a story — and often, much of that story lives in storage unseen. If you’re ready to reimagine how your collection is stored, accessed, and presented in a stable environment, let’s talk. Bradford Systems is prepared to work with your organization on customized art racks, visible storage designs, and collection-care solutions that meet your space, budget, and mission. Contact us today to explore how we can help your facility build a thoughtful storage and display environment that honors your collection and invites the public in.