Maybe have the museum "instanced" in a way, much like the tree in Molten Front. It grows as you turn in more artifacts, putting them on physical display.

Instead of looting Zin'rokh, you take the artifact to a museum, which then displays it, WHICH you can then loot for the actual weapon. Other players won't see Zin'rokh on display unless they've also turned in the artifact version.

Next, make all actual items BoP...but make all "artifact" versions BoE (or simply don't bind at all). So you don't sell the item itself, you sell the key (aka artifact) that unlocks the item at the local museum.

Finally, keep all museums character-specific. No BoA items like Zin'rokh (although you can still help out your alts by purchasing/digging the artifact and mailing it to your alt). By keeping museums character-specific, there will always be a demand for artifacts on the AH.

The best part of such a system is that you wouldn't have to hold onto anything in the bank. Just delete it. If you end up wanting it again, head to the museum and loot another one.

Some other ideas:

A) Due to the number of models that could end up on display, the museum might need to be instanced/zoned separately so it doesn't bog down major cities like Stormwind/Orgrimmar. However...

B) Museums could be hosted in multiple cities, each exhibiting different artifacts. This would help keep any one museum from getting overly cluttered as expansions progress, and might even allow for "expansion-specific" museums (i.e. Cataclysm museum, Mists of Pandaria museum, etc.).

@loot: That phased museum is actually a brilliant idea. That would give a sort of player housing-type option for those who have been asking for it.

Unfortunately, I think it would take a greater amount of resources to develop compared to something like the Molten Front. If the number of artifacts was limited, it would be easier, but phasing many individual ones seems like a pain in the ass to program for. However, I am no programmer so correct me if I am wrong.

About the flight times... I don't know if it's that aspect that just makes the whole profession so grindy, or if it's just the grindy nature of that profession that I object to. In any case archeology is too much grinding for me. I've done lots of grinds in the game. I will not do archeology. My main's skill is around 350 and he's not even my alchemist.

Guildmuseums!

@loop_not_defined
Museum idea sounds really cool, and I LOVE the idea that you can delete stuff to save bag room and the re-loot from the museum artifact you donated if you ever want it again.

@Emile
Guild museums is an AWESOME idea! I would so love to be able to work with my guild to be able to show off everything we have collected :D

Someone needs to copy/paste this idea and its elements on the relevant forums!

At work, or I would :(