Once an artifact reaches the STORAGE stage it needs a home, and storageLocation records where that is — for example a box number, cabinet, or curation facility designation. The field is free text and optional, since finds still in processing may not yet have a permanent location. Keeping the storage location on the catalog record means anyone can locate a physical object later, which is essential for loans, reanalysis, and meeting curation requirements when a collection is transferred to a repository.
Technical section
Data model, API, and internals — visible to developers.