User:Martin Burch/Packing and Shipping

To prevent damage to valuable donations during shipping, the museum has developed packing and shipping guidelines.

Packing

Boxes

Start with a new or lightly used heavy-duty corrugated cardboard box designed for mailing with plenty of room for the contents. The box should be at least three inches larger than the size of the contents in all dimensions. Lightweight storage boxes are inappropriate for shipping. If shipping heavy items, check the weight limit of the box printed on the bottom flaps.

Cushioning Materials

We recommend using cellular air cushioning material to wrap the contents of a shipment. (That's bubble wrap for those who haven't obsessively researched the packaging and shipping industry.) Depending on the size of the items, either large or small sized bubbles may be appropriate. Secure the bubble wrap with clear packing tape. If wrapping static-sensitive items like microchips and printed circuit boards use pink-colored anti-static bubble wrap. If the items are delicate enough, double-box them: put the items inside a smaller box and then put that box inside the outer shipping box. Add plastic packing peanuts or additional bubble wrap either between the items and the box or between the outer and inner box to create a slightly positive pressure when closing the outer box. Do not use newspaper as packing material. Tape all seams with clear packing tape.

Shipping

Courier services (UPS, DHL, FedEx, and the U.S. Postal Service) don't usually treat packages delicately. Most items arrive intact because they're well-packed. The four largest services offer comparable ground rates. Because of an excellent track-record of local deliveries, we highly recommend shipping by DHL.