CHARP

Preventive conservation for travelling collections

International touring exhibitions, especially those involving climate-sensitive works such as panel paintings, textiles or photographs, rely on the ability to maintain stable environmental conditions across changing contexts. From departure to return, artworks and other fragile materials must be kept within predefined climate parameters, as recommended by international guidelines such as the Bizot Green Protocol. When crossing long distances and
passing through different building systems, transport modes and institutional practices, these exhibitions depend on climate monitoring as a stable reference for coordination between lending and hosting institutions, ensuring continuity in care at every stage of the tour.

Who this is for

The management of touring collections brings together a layered team of contributors: registrars, conservators, curators, tour managers, producers, collectors, art handlers, crating crews, climate specialists, transport and storage agents—not to mention the hosting teams at each venue, sometimes several in a single tour. It’s a dense, moving web of coordination. With so many hands involved, a simple and efficient tool can make a real difference: one that supports the preservation of the works while easing the workload. Equally important is transparency—giving lenders the ability to check conditions at any time and receive reports without delay. For those monitoring conditions, clarity and speed can make a meaningful difference. When monitoring involves manual readouts and email spreadsheets, it slows response times and adds strain to the teams’ workload. Real-time data should be easy to read, with clear visuals and simple metrics that support well-informed responses. Alerts need to be reliable and actionable, so that teams can respond promptly and stay coordinated.

From installation to report: How it works

Charp combines advanced sensors with wireless, real-time data transmission to a shared online platform, where environmental notes, floor plans, object locations, and tailor-made analyses can be visualised at a glance. The system is plug and play, so hosting teams can install and manage it themselves without technical configuration. Custom alerts notify teams when conditions shift, and data is easy to interpret, export, and share.

Design matters, too

We have yet to meet a scenographer who wants to install a clunky box sprouting an antenna into a carefully considered exhibition space. That’s why these loggers are designed with discretion and versatility in mind, making them suitable for both classical and contemporary settings. Their minimalist design allows for unobtrusive placement on walls, inside display cases, or within architectural features—without interfering with the visual integrity of the space. Easy to install and remove, and requiring no tedious technical setup, they offer reliable monitoring with minimal visual impact.

Click here to see how our solutions protect collections