Storing Figures Long Term

For long-term storage, action figures need a cool, dark, dry and above all stable place. The National Park Service keeps most museum collections between 59°F and 77°F at 45% to 55% relative humidity (RH), and for plastics its handbook suggests the lower range of 30% to 45%.

Stable climate comes first

The most important part of figure storage is keeping conditions even. NPS guidance says fluctuations should ideally not exceed 5% RH either side of the set point, and the Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) advises keeping plastics and rubbers at constant, moderate to low RH and avoiding RH above 65%. Heat speeds every aging reaction: the CCI puts it plainly, the higher the temperature, the faster the rate of deterioration, so cooler conditions promote longevity. Light matters even in storage, because UV and visible light cause yellowing and fading, so boxes belong in the dark.

That rules out the usual spots. The NPS handbook says directly not to house collections in basements or attics: attics bake in summer and swing hard between seasons, basements run damp, and uninsulated spaces follow the weather outside. A closet on an inside wall of the living space, or a shelf under a bed, is usually the most stable place in a home. Garages and sheds have the same problems as attics.

Boxes, bags and protectors

Choose storage materials that do not add to the problem. CCI guidance favors chemically stable plastics such as polyethylene, polypropylene and polyester (PET) for bags, sleeves and boxes and warns against PVC sheeting and highly plasticized materials. Clear box protectors made of PET shield card and window boxes from dust, scuffs and crushed corners. The boxes themselves are paper and board, and the CCI notes that RH over 60% accelerates chemical and biological deterioration of paper, so acid-free tissue and acid-free board between items are the safer choice.

Plasticizer migration is the storage problem specific to toys. Soft PVC can exude plasticizer as it ages, turning the surface tacky, and degraded rubber can stick firmly to whatever it touches. The CCI advises keeping such objects from touching one another and placing non-stick interleaves, such as PET film, between sticky surfaces. Wrap soft vinyl parts in acid-free tissue or PET rather than plastic wrap or colored paper, and never pack different figures tightly against each other.

In box or out of box has no single answer. Keeping a figure in its original packaging preserves collector value and protects it from dust and handling, but a sealed blister or tray can hold a soft part under pressure for years, and the box ages alongside the figure. Loose figures stored in separate polyethylene bags or divided boxes are easier to inspect and do not press against packaging.

Silica gel and periodic checks

Silica gel is a passive humidity control for a closed container. The CCI recommends placing objects in sealed glass or vapor-proof plastic containers with dry indicating silica gel filling about one-third of the air space, and replacing or reconditioning the gel when it changes to its wet color. In an open cupboard or room, a few sachets do nothing useful; they only work in a closed box.

A digital hygrometer in the storage area shows whether conditions are actually stable. Open stored boxes at regular intervals to look for sticky or discolored plastic, rust on metal parts, mold, pests and crushed packaging, and catch problems before they spread to neighboring pieces.

Stable, cool, dark and dry, in inert materials, checked now and then: that is what long-term storage comes down to for boxed and loose figures alike.