Besides theft and fire, the collection has other, no less insidious enemies to contend with--temperature, humidity, and pollution.
過度潮濕時，木器、象牙器、骨器、文獻、書畫、織物… …，都會因吸收濕氣而膨脹變形、孳生黴菌或其他菌類，並且使織物及顏料褪色；至於金屬器更會染病生鏽。