Illustration of a crated museum object in transit by truck and plane.
Artifacts are at their most vulnerable when in transit. Whether on loan for exhibition or relocated for conservation or storage, the risks of damage or loss are significant. For collections and registration staff, clearly and consistently tracking shipping and transportation is not just best practice—it’s a critical component of risk management.
CatalogIt makes it easy to document every step of an object’s journey in one place, ensuring everyone involved, from registrars to couriers, can access accurate, up-to-date information. By centralizing shipping details within the object record, CatalogIt promotes transparency, minimizes errors, and gives museum professionals confidence that their collections are well cared for at every stage.
The CatalogIt Shipment profile helps staff track shipping details directly within an object record or link them to an exhibition, loan, or accession profile. Key information—such as shipment date, courier, packing method, carrier, tracking number, and destination—can be recorded in one centralized place. Real-time updates, including departures, arrivals, and condition reports, create a clear timeline of the object’s movement. And because CatalogIt is cloud-based, this information is accessible from anywhere, helping teams stay informed, reduce risk, and coordinate more effectively.
Common Shipment Scenarios in CatalogIt
Objects move for many reasons—whether it's an outgoing loan, a multi-venue exhibition, an incoming loan, or a new acquisition from a donor. Each scenario brings unique shipping and documentation needs. With CatalogIt, staff can create a dedicated Shipment profile for each leg of the journey, tracking dates, packing methods, carriers, condition reports, and supporting documents. For traveling exhibitions, creating a new Shipment record for each venue helps maintain a clear chain of custody and ensures that nothing falls through the cracks.
Common shipment scenarios include (but are not limited to):
- Outgoing Loans – Shipping museum-owned objects to borrowing institutions
- Traveling Exhibitions – Managing multiple legs of travel across venues
- Incoming Loans – Receiving objects for temporary exhibitions
- New Acquisitions – Documenting shipments from donors or sellers to the museum
For traveling exhibitions with multiple venues, it’s considered best practice to create a separate Shipment profile for each step. This ensures that every route, carrier, courier, and condition check is thoroughly documented and is easy to reference.
CatalogIt makes it simple to log all essential shipping details—from dates and tracking numbers to packing notes and condition reports—so everyone involved in collections care has access to accurate, up-to-date information.
Using the Shipment Profile in CatalogIt
As discussed above, the Shipment profile in CatalogIt has many uses. This section walks you through one common scenario—using the Shipment profile for an outgoing loan.
To start, search for the Shipment profile using the search bar on the Profiles page:
Once you navigate to the Shipment profile page, you’ll have the option to either select an existing shipment to edit or create a new one:
Create the profile as you would any other—enter all pertinent details such as shipment date, courier, carrier, packing method, tracking number, and destination.
When the profile is complete, you can link it to both the related Loan Out profile and the Object Record.
To add the related shipment in the Loan Out profile:
Scroll to the appropriate field and select the related Shipment profile.
To link related profiles in the Object record:
In edit mode, scroll down to add the Related Shipment, Loan Out, and Shipping Container profiles to the associated object entry.
You can also add the crate associated with this loan. Using the Shipping Container profile allows you to document specifications for the crate, including materials and dimensions, and easily allows you to generate a crate list. The Shipping Container profile can be added to the Loan Out and Shipment profiles as well as the individual object record.
Once you’ve linked the shipment, you’ll be able to view the full Shipment profile and see how all components connect:
Don’t forget to create a new Shipment profile for each leg of the journey, as shipping details and arrangements often change between locations. Be sure to add each related shipment to the object record and Loan Out profile so the full path remains clearly and accurately documented.
By consistently using the Shipment profile in CatalogIt and linking it to your Loan Out profiles and object records, you ensure that every step of an object’s journey is clearly documented and easy to reference. This not only helps maintain accurate and accessible collections records, but also supports risk management, accountability, and seamless communication across your team—making the entire shipping process more efficient and reliable.