As its name implies, the quarantine room allows us to isolate incoming collections from our general collection until they can be inspected. Some materials arrive at our location in poor condition and may have been stored in environmentally compromised locations such as a basement, closet, or garage. Archival materials and objects are susceptible to agents of deterioration like mold and insects that are harmful and can spread easily if not properly contained. As a way to stop the spread of these agents, we can clean, isolate, and/or freeze items that have suspected mold or insect infestations. These items are then monitored for a period of time in the quarantine room prior to being processed and put into archival or artifact storage.  

Querner, P., 2015. Insect pests and integrated pest management in museums, libraries and historic buildings. Insects, 6(2), pp.595-607.

Museum Pests.Net. Accessed September 25th 2020. https://museumpests.net/prevention-introduction/prevention-examination-and-quarantine/.