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The safest long-term method is to keep original box art, manuals, inserts, posters, and packaging in dark, stable archival storage and display a high-quality scan or photograph. Paper-based game artwork is light-sensitive: prolonged illumination can fade inks, yellow paper, alter colors, and make sheets brittle. If you must display an original, use a UV-filtering frame, acid-free materials, a window mat or spacers, low-intensity lighting, and a short rotation period. Keep temperature and relative humidity (RH) steady, away from sunlight, damp areas, heaters, and exterior walls.
This approach protects both the collectible and its information value. The Strong National Museum of Play reports more than 60,000 artifacts and hundreds of thousands of archival materials, including about 25,000 imperiled artifacts such as games created before 2005 on endangered media. A careful display and digitization plan helps ensure that artwork remains identifiable and usable even when the physical original must stay in the dark.
What “safe display” means for game artwork
Original game artwork includes cardboard box panels, paper manuals, maps, posters, advertisements, stickers, inserts, dust jackets, and loose packaging. These are composite objects: inks, paper fibers, coatings, adhesives, folds, staples, and sometimes plastic windows can age at different rates. A frame that looks suitable for a modern print can therefore damage an older game package.
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- Reduce light exposure. Light damage is cumulative and cannot be reversed by returning an item to darkness.
- Keep the object chemically and physically supported. Acidic boards, pressure-sensitive tape, compression, and contact with glazing can stain, abrade, or deform paper.
- Maintain a stable environment and a usable record. A color-managed surrogate lets you inspect the artwork without repeatedly handling the original.
The National Archives advises that “the best protection from light is to display copies of the originals and keep the originals in a box.” The Library of Congress likewise says long-term or permanent display of paper-based materials is not recommended because light causes fading, yellowing, discoloration, and embrittlement.
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Choose between an original, a reproduction, and storage
Decide how often the artwork needs to be seen before choosing a frame. The following options address different priorities rather than representing three grades of the same solution.
| Option | Light and UV protection | RH and temperature stability | Physical support and reversibility | Visibility and glare | Removal and rotation | Reproduction rights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Original in a frame | Requires UV-filtering glazing, low light, no direct sun, and limited display time; risk remains cumulative. | Depends on the room; monitor conditions and avoid rapid swings. | Requires archival mat board, a window mat or spacers, and non-destructive mounting. | Shows authentic surface, folds, and printing; glazing can reflect room lights. | Easy to remove only if the frame is assembled without tape or permanent adhesive; rotate sensitive pieces. | No reproduction is made, but ownership or loan terms still govern use. |
| High-quality reproduction on display | Still protect the reproduction, but the original receives no display light. | Normal stable indoor conditions are usually easier to maintain. | Can be mounted more freely; retain the original separately. | Best for everyday viewing and large displays; surface texture may differ from the original. | Simple to replace or update while the original remains stored. | Permission may be required before publishing the scan, making prints, or using the image commercially. |
| Original in dark storage with a digital surrogate | Best physical protection because the original is kept dark. | Use a monitored, stable storage area and archival enclosures. | Supports long-term preservation; avoid unnecessary disassembly. | Digital viewing provides access without handling the artifact. | Original is available for research or occasional, short display. | Digital access remains subject to copyright and license restrictions. |
For a collection that is frequently shown, use reproductions for routine viewing and reserve originals for short, documented exhibits, photography, or examination.
How light damages paper game art
Visible light and ultraviolet radiation
Both visible and ultraviolet (UV) energy can break down dyes, pigments, optical brighteners, and paper fibers. Damage may appear as a faded logo, uneven color between a covered and exposed edge, yellowing, or a brittle surface. The change continues even when it is too subtle to notice from week to week.
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Exposure limits are context-specific
For institutional exhibit loans, National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) technical guidance specifies 65–75 °F and 35–50% RH, with a tolerance of plus or minus 5%, UV filtered to no more than 10 microwatts per lumen, and exposure generally limited to 10 hours per day. These are controlled exhibit conditions, not a guarantee that a home display can remain lit indefinitely. At home, shorter display periods, lower illumination, and darkness when the room is closed are safer.
Temperature and humidity targets
Home storage range
NARA’s home video-material guidance gives 55–70 °F and 30–55% RH, emphasizing stability and protection from sunlight. Paper artwork can share a stable environment with game media, but avoid interpreting the range as permission for daily swings. A room that moves from damp to dry every day stresses paper, boards, coatings, and adhesives.
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Exhibit range
For a controlled exhibit, use the NARA range of 65–75 °F and 35–50% RH plus or minus 5%. Measure the actual display case or room rather than relying on a building thermostat. A digital hygrometer or data logger can reveal overnight peaks that a spot reading misses.
Mold prevention
NARA mold guidance recommends routinely monitoring RH, preferably around 45–55% to reduce germination risk and below 65% as a ceiling. If an item becomes wet or shows active mold, isolate it from the collection and seek professional advice. Do not brush or vacuum active mold in a living space; moving spores can contaminate other games and expose people.
Places to avoid
- Attics and garages, where heat and humidity can change rapidly.
- Damp basements or rooms with a history of leaks.
- Locations beside radiators, vents, fireplaces, or dehumidifier exhaust.
- Exterior walls and windows where condensation or temperature gradients occur.
- Any shelf beneath plumbing, a roof valley, or an air-conditioning drain.
Build a frame that cannot damage the original
Choose archival contact materials
Use cotton-rag or chemically purified, acid-free or pH-neutral mat board. Ordinary cardboard, wood-pulp backing, and unknown “acid-free” products can release acids or discolorants as they age. Select a window mat or archival spacers so the artwork never touches the glazing. The air gap protects fragile inks and prevents a sheet from sticking to glass during humidity changes.
UV-filtering glass or acrylic reduces harmful radiation. Acrylic is lighter and safer for large frames, but it can attract dust and static; anti-static acrylic is appropriate when the media is friable or easily disturbed. Glass is heavier and can break, so secure a large frame to the wall and keep it away from high-traffic contact.
Mount without permanent adhesive
Do not use pressure-sensitive tape, household glue, spray adhesive, lamination, or an untested mounting fluid. Adhesives can stain, pull fibers, or prevent a conservator from separating layers later. Use a reversible, conservation-appropriate attachment method selected for the object’s weight and condition. If a manual has a fold, tear, detached cover, or brittle edge, support it rather than flattening it by force.
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Prevent contact and movement
Confirm that the glazing, mat, backing, and fasteners do not press on the artwork. A loose poster may need a larger support sheet; a folded box jacket may need a custom mount that supports each panel without forcing the factory creases open. Add a rigid, archival backboard, close the frame against dust, and use wall hardware that prevents tipping. A display case should be secured against accidental knocks and theft.
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Step-by-step: preparing an original for short display
- Document condition. Photograph front, back, edges, folds, stains, tears, detached parts, and existing tape. Record the game title, edition or region when known, dimensions, provenance, and the date of inspection.
- Make a surrogate first. Create a high-resolution, color-managed scan or photograph before mounting. Keep an untouched master file and make a separate access copy for routine viewing.
- Check the environment. Measure room temperature and RH for several days. Move the display location if it receives direct sun, sits against an exterior wall, or approaches the 65% RH mold ceiling.
- Select glazing and board. Use UV-filtering glass or acrylic, acid-free or pH-neutral mat board, and anti-static acrylic when appropriate. Match the support to the object’s dimensions and weight.
- Plan a non-contact mount. Add a window mat or spacers. Support folds and weak edges; do not flatten a three-dimensional package solely to fit a standard frame.
- Assemble cleanly. Handle with clean, dry hands or material-appropriate gloves. Keep food, drinks, skin oils, and loose fibers away from the work surface. Never clean printed surfaces with water or solvent unless a qualified conservator has approved the method.
- Install and secure. Close the frame, test that nothing shifts when it is gently tilted, and attach secure wall hardware or case restraints.
- Control the light. Use low-intensity illumination, block nearby daylight, and switch the display lights off whenever the room is closed.
- Set a rotation date. Record when the original went on view. Replace it with the surrogate after a short, predetermined period and return the original to dark storage.
Storage for manuals, jackets, inserts, and loose art
Use archival enclosures
Place individual sheets in acid-free envelopes, archival boxes, or dedicated files sized so the paper is not cramped. Store flat when the object is structurally suited to remain flat. Oversized posters, folded maps, or box jackets may need supported storage rather than a forced flat fold. Keep enclosures clean, dry, and labeled with an identifier that links to your collection record.
Separate components thoughtfully
Separating paper from cartridges, discs, or plastic can reduce abrasion, transferred plasticizers, and uneven pressure. However, do not dismantle a package when separation would destroy its identity, break an adhesive bond, or remove an original relationship that researchers need. Instead, use an enclosure with compartments or an internal support.
Handle only when necessary
Wash and dry hands before handling. Gloves are not automatically safer: they can reduce tactile feedback and catch on brittle edges. Use clean, dry hands for robust paper and appropriate gloves when the material or institutional procedure calls for them. Support folded, oversized, or fragile pieces with both hands and never drag a sheet across a table.
Keep pressure-sensitive tape, household glue, lamination films, rubber bands, and untested cleaning fluids away from the collection. A repair that looks neat today can leave a permanent stain or make future conservation impossible.
Digitize once, use the surrogate often
Capture a faithful master
Scan or photograph the artwork at high resolution with even, diffuse lighting and a color reference when practical. Capture the full sheet, edges, folds, and any marks that establish provenance. Keep the original, untouched master file in a controlled location; create resized or compressed derivatives for phones, websites, catalogs, and game-room displays.
Record metadata and condition
Link the files to a collection record. Record the item identifier, title, region or edition if known, creator or publisher information when documented, capture date, equipment or scanner settings, color profile, file format, provenance, and condition notes. Note whether a scan represents the front, back, an interior page, or a reconstructed view of a folded package.
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Use an access copy for routine reference
The Library of Congress describes videogame collections that include cartridges, discs, packaging, documentation, and magazines and notes the access challenges of preserving both physical and digital components. A University of Michigan workflow packages game files, manuals, maps, supporting materials, and metadata in an archival bag linked to the catalog record. Applying the same principle to a private collection—one stable master plus clearly identified access copies—reduces handling and keeps context with the image.
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Copyright and permission for scans
Owning a box or manual does not automatically grant the right to publish its artwork. A scan is not automatically free to distribute. The Library of Congress rights statement says written permission from copyright owners is required for distribution, reproduction, or other use of protected items beyond fair use or other statutory exemptions.
Before posting a high-resolution scan, selling prints, licensing an image, or using cover art in advertising, identify the rights holder and check the law in the relevant jurisdiction. Keep a record of permission, license terms, or the legal basis for an exception. A private, low-resolution reference copy and a public commercial reproduction present different risks; do not assume that one clearance covers every use.
Troubleshooting common problems
The colors are fading unevenly
Remove the original from display and compare the exposed edge with the area under the mat. Move the frame away from daylight and fluorescent sources, reduce illumination, and substitute the digital surrogate. UV glazing slows damage but cannot undo fading or make permanent display safe.
The paper is wavy or cockled
Check for RH swings, leaks, condensation, and pressure from the mat or backing. Stabilize the room before changing the mount. Do not iron, wet, or press the artwork under heavy books; consult a paper conservator if flattening is necessary.
There is a musty smell or visible mold
Isolate the item in a separate, clean area without brushing it. Lower the surrounding RH below the 65% ceiling while avoiding abrupt drying, and obtain professional advice. Inspect nearby enclosures and surfaces for spread.
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The glazing touches the artwork
Stop displaying it until a window mat or spacers create an air gap. Contact can cause abrasion, blocking, or condensation transfer, especially during humidity changes.
A fold or flap will not lie flat
Do not force it into a shallow frame. Choose a deeper mount, support the fold in its existing position, or display a reproduction that can be shown flat while the original remains safely stored.
The frame is too heavy or unstable
Switch to a lighter acrylic glazing where suitable, use load-rated hardware, add anti-tip restraints, and keep the frame out of reach of pets and children. A falling frame can cause more damage in one event than years of controlled light exposure.
Managing a larger videogame collection
Treat each package as a group of elements—media, box, manual, map, poster, sticker, insert, and other inclusions—rather than as one undifferentiated object. Give related pieces a shared collection identifier while allowing each component to have its own condition note and enclosure. This makes it possible to store a fragile manual differently from a sturdy cartridge without losing their relationship.
Maintain an inventory of where each original is stored, when it was displayed, and which digital files represent it. Review RH data, inspect enclosures for dust or pests, and rotate only when the benefit of viewing justifies the handling risk. The Game Preservation Society’s 2026 manual describes element-based management and uses approximately 50–55% humidity with UV shielding for paper materials in a videogame-collection context. Treat that as an example for collection planning, not a universal requirement that overrides the NARA ranges or the needs of a particular object.
A practical preservation policy
For most home collections, adopt this policy: originals stay in archival enclosures in a stable, dark room; a color-managed surrogate supplies everyday access; and an original is displayed only briefly in a properly built frame. Record the condition before and after each display, keep lighting low and off when unattended, and respond immediately to water, mold, or an environmental excursion. This balances authenticity, visibility, and reversibility without pretending that any frame can stop light damage indefinitely.
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