Breaking ground in Swindon: Milestone in collections move project

Oxford University’s four museums together hold more than 8.7 million objects, ranging from scientific instruments and dinosaur fossils to classical sculpture and musical instruments. Until recently items not on display were housed in 7,000 square metres of storage, across 10 off-site locations scattered throughout Oxfordshire, in addition to storage within each museum building. Our ambitious collections move project is currently creating two new facilities - an expansion to our Collections Storage Facility in Swindon including a new building, and the creation of the Collections and Teaching Research Centre in Oxford - with each site to provide cutting-edge centralised storage together with new levels of access.

This spring has seen work commence at the Collections Storage Facility, celebrated last month by a ground breaking ceremony. Representatives from across the Gardens, Libraries and Museums and project teams gathered to acknowledge the significance of the moment. 

The Collections Storage Facility project involves an expansion of the Bodleian Libraries’ existing storage facility by enlarging our warehouse currently consisting of four temperature and humidity-controlled chambers to five chambers, alongside the introduction of an entirely new separate Spirit Collection Store building for the storage of zoological specimens. New on-site visitor rooms, a digitisation room, conservation laboratory and metal object store will also be introduced.

The expansion will house materials for the History of Science Museum, Museum of Natural History, Pitt Rivers Museum and the Ashmolean Museum, plus grow the Bodleian’s storage by an additional three aisles for Special Collections material.  

The development has been meticulously designed to Passivhaus Classic Standards, meeting the highest levels of energy efficiency, environmental control and safety essential for the protection of cultural, scientific and archival materials. A notable growth allowance for future museum collections has also been factored in. 

This collaborative cross-GLAM project represents a significant advancement in the long-term preservation of Oxford University’s invaluable collections and involves colleagues from across institutions, working with Purcell Architects, main contractor Glencar, Bidwells & Ridge plus Price and Myers.

Richard Ovenden OBE, Head of GLAM, Bodley's Librarian and the Helen Hamlyn Director of the University Libraries notes:

‘The Collections Storage Facility expansion is a critical development for GLAM, ensuring that the University’s collections are preserved under optimal conditions for future generations.’

Together the enhanced Collections Storage Facility and the Collections and Teaching Research Centre in central Oxford, also currently under construction, will open a new chapter for innovative object-based teaching and research.