Storage as a System: Collection Management at the Museo Nacional del Prado

Abstract In the information age, storage has become an essential element of managing museum collections. The complexity and variety of functions now encompassed by storage have moved it beyond its traditional conception to be regarded as a system of interconnected and organised elements that work as a whole and fosters knowledge through complex flows of information . Having recently celebrated its 200th anniversary, with three million visitors a year and an online audience that exceeds 10 million, the Museo Nacional del Prado in Madrid, Spain, has accumulated extensive experience in the management of its collections. Highlighting the importance of information generated by storage systems is key to our proposal for more efficient museum management. It also allows us to address the continuous challenges of a changing society, which has emerging values related to participation, sustainability and new forms of accessing heritage.