Automated cell culture incubators comprising selectively permeable cell culture vessel storage compartments

A method for culturing cells, the method comprising:

• placing cells in a multi well cell culture vessel,
• placing the cell culture vessel in a container, the container having a movable door for receiving a cell culture vessel therein, wherein a portion of at least one wall of the container comprises a gas permeable membrane that is selectively impermeable to water vapor to provide a humidified sub-environment for a cell culture therein;
• placing the cell culture container into a non-humidified temperature controlled incubator and maintaining a non-humidified environment therein;
• passing gases into the humidified sub-environment from the non-humidified temperature controlled incubator through the gas permeable membrane, and passing gases out of the humidified sub-environment into the non-humidified temperature controlled incubator through the gas permeable membrane, while preventing the passage of water vapor from the humidified sub-environment into the non-humidified temperature controlled incubator using the gas permeable membrane that is selectively impermeable to water vapor;
• storing the cell culture container in a storage rack;
• imaging the cells in the cell culture vessel in an imaging location;
• and
• robotically transferring the cell culture vessel through the movable door of the container to the imaging location and returning the cell culture vessel through the movable door of the container to store same.