On the plus side, basements can be easier to regulate temperature and
humidity than other parts of the building if you have good HVAC.

Flooding from natural causes may or may not be a concern, depending on the
climate, location, etc.

However, don't overlook the potential for flooding caused by the operation
of a sprinkler system on upper floors (even if there's no fire), or the
draining of water used in firefighting.

Insurance companies ask these sorts of questions when insuring collections
and setting premiums, so that's an argument you can use with your designers.


>
> Hi there-
>
> I work at a place where we just opened up a museum.  It is a four-story
> facility, and the tentative plan now is to build a room in the basement
> for collection storage.  Are basements a strict no-no for these storage
> areas?  I know the humidity is generally higher, and the risk of flooding
> is higher as well, but the designers of the original building never
> thought about this.  How hard should I be fighting for a non-basement
> collections area?
>
> Andy Dickes


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