Regarding exhibit drawers: A few years ago we wanted to add such drawers 
below our lithics exhibit, so that we could provide larger numbers of 
examples for comparison with the stone tools in the display. After 
investigating a number of sources, we ended up with commercial steel 
drawer units from Equipto, rather than going with the very similar items 
from museum supply sources--which would have cost about three times as 
much as the Equipto units. These storage units are commonly used in 
industry to house all the little widgets-bits that are put together in 
factories. There is a metal ridge around the inside of each drawer, on 
which we simply placed a piece of heavy plexiglas, cut to fit exactly--no 
locking or securing is needed, because there's no way to get hold of the 
plexi and get it out, except with suction cups.

The only issue we have run into is that younger kids get a charge out of 
slamming the drawers back after they look, so we have had to seat the 
artifacts fairly deeply in cloth-covered ethafoam to keep them in 
place--and also read the riot act to some classroom teachers who have 
less-than-perfect classroom management skills with their students. My 
curator says she has seen units that have shock absorbers to slow the 
drawers when they are returned to position--at the NMAI; most of us don't 
have that kind of money....


==================
Hello,

The Museum of Anthropology at University of British Columbia has these 
types
of "exhibit drawers" and have had for many years.  They may be a good 
source
for you.

Be sure and let us know the results!

Lisa Forman
Hudson Conservation Studio
Los Angeles, CA




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      *                     Michael R. Sawdey, Ph.D.                     *
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