The Offsite Collection Storage Project for the Museo Nacional de Historia Natural (Santiago, Chile) 2009-2019

As a result of almost 200 years of scientific activity and the enactment of different legal mandates, including specific requirements stipulated by the National Monuments Act of 1970, the collections of the Chilean National Museum of Natural History (MNHN, founded in 1830) have grown considerably since the museum's creation. However, it has been impossible to fulfill optimal preventive conservation requirements in the current building, which dates to 1875. After the problem was identified, a collection management project was implemented: one that included setting up off-site storage to house the existing collections at MNHN and include room for growth. The challenge was to secure funding for an off-site building that would fit the purpose; meanwhile, the collections needed to be prepared for the move. The project was carried out over 10 years, between 2009 and 2019, and succeeded in improving a significant percentage of the total collection. This article discusses this unique national project as a case study, describing the processes carried out to complete it, its challenges, and the main lessons learned.