When cargo is too heavy for a pallet, too fragile for a box, or too valuable to risk, a large shipping crate is the answer. But not all crates are created equal. Getting it right means matching the crate to what is inside it, where it is going, and what it will face...
Every shipment has a story, and some of those stories end badly. A painting arrives with a crack. A machine shows up with corrosion damage. An artifact clears customs three weeks late because the wood packaging failed inspection. Custom wooden shipping crates exist to...
When cargo crosses borders, the packaging around it determines whether it arrives damage free or becomes an insurance claim. Here is what you need to know about shipping crates for international shipping, how to choose the right one, and why Vevex builds every crate...
Shipping artwork is different from shipping almost anything else. The items are often irreplaceable. The stakeholders involved, lenders, borrowers, insurers, conservators, have specific requirements and legitimate expectations. And the consequences of getting it wrong go beyond a damaged object. They affect institutional relationships, loan agreements, and professional reputations that take years to build.
Registrars and collections managers know this. The crating company you work with needs to know it too.
This guide covers what museums and galleries in Vancouver and across BC should think through before shipping artwork, what to look for in a crating partner, and where the most common problems come from.
When a museum loans a work, the crate that carries it is part of the institution’s duty of care. Lenders specify crating requirements in loan agreements because a poorly built crate is a known risk factor. Institutions that have experienced transit damage know exactly where the failure was.
Museum-quality crating isn’t a premium upgrade for exceptionally valuable works. It’s the baseline standard for any work traveling on loan, to an exhibition, or across an international border. The crate needs to be built for the specific work, designed for the specific journey, and constructed to a standard that conservators and insurers can rely on.
A well-specified art crate for museum or gallery use has several elements that separate it from general shipping packaging.
The interior should be precision-fit to the work. Foam cut to cradle the specific dimensions and profile of the object, with bracing that prevents movement during vibration without putting pressure on any surface. There’s no standard template that works for art. Every interior should be designed from the object outward.
Museum crates are typically built with lid gaskets. These limit air movement into and out of the crate, which slows the rate of temperature and humidity change the object is exposed to during transit. This isn’t active climate control. It’s buffering, and that distinction matters for condition reporting and insurance purposes.
Be careful of suppliers who describe their crates as providing climate control without being specific about what that means. A properly sealed crate slows environmental change. It doesn’t maintain a controlled environment over a long journey.
Art crates get opened and resealed at destination, often by handlers who aren’t crating specialists. The closure system needs to be secure in transit and manageable to operate without specialized tools or risk to the object inside. Crates should open on whichever sides are needed for safe unpacking, and orientation should be clearly marked on the exterior.
Every stage of the pack should be photographed. The object before packing, the interior configuration, the sealed crate. This documentation is your condition record for the outbound journey and your evidence base if anything needs to be assessed at destination.
If the work is traveling internationally in a wooden crate, the crate must carry ISPM 15 certification. This is a customs requirement for wood packaging entering most countries. Non-compliant packaging can be held or destroyed at the border regardless of what’s inside it.
Confirm ISPM 15 certification with your crating supplier before the loan agreement is finalized. Every crate Vevex builds is ISPM 15 certified as standard. It’s not an add-on or a special request.
Vancouver has a small number of suppliers serving the museum and gallery sector. When evaluating them, the relevant questions are:
Vevex has been building crates for Vancouver’s museums and galleries since 2003. Our Museum Quality crates are trusted by institutions including the Vancouver Art Gallery and UBC’s Museum of Anthropology. We bring the same standard to every art shipment we handle, regardless of scale.
Tell us about the work, the journey, and your timeline. We’ll come back to you within one business day with questions and a clear path forward.
Contact our team at vevex.com or call 604-254-1002.
