Receiving objects from tropical climates

We recently received some very large wooden models that came from a
tropical climate.  The models had recently been constructed in a
facility that had no climate control and so they were damp when
packed in crates built by the artist himself.  The objects and the
crates were therefore acclimatized to a damp environment and were
not happy when they reached our supposedly ideal museum environment.
We were faced with planar distortion and cracking of some of the
wood components.

Some objects also developed mould during their during ocean
transport. The same artist will be sending us more material in the
future.  He plans to time his future shipments for the dry season
there, but depending on the size of the objects he builds, he may
have to ship by sea.

How can we prevent damage to hygroscopic objects when the climate of
origin of the objects is incompatible with the receiving climate
(going from hot and damp to the recommended museum conditions) and
when the objects are too big for vitrines or are not intended by the
artist to be placed in vitrines?

Also, does anyone out there have experience in using silica gel in
crates or other packing methods to prevent objects from developing
mould during long ocean transport?

All of your insight on this subject would be appreciated.

Karen Potje
Head, Conservation/Preservation
Centre Canadien d'Architecture
1920, rue Baile
Montreal
Quebec H3H 2S6
Canada
514-939-7001 ext 1236


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 28:31
                  Distributed: Friday, January 9, 2015
                       Message Id: cdl-28-31-022
                                  ***