Insulated chamber with phase change material

An apparatus comprising:

• a closed container bounded by a plurality of surfaces defining a storage interior chamber adapted to receive therein a storage item;
• an insulation layer disposed in at least one of the plurality of surfaces;
• a first phase change material layer disposed in the at least one of the plurality of surfaces and having a first melting or freezing phase change temperature;
• and
• a first temperature-altering device having a sheet-like shape and sandwiched between the insulation layer and the first phase change material layer, a thickness of each one of the insulation layer and the first phase change material layer greater than a thickness of the first temperature-altering device, the first temperature-altering device in direct physical contact with the first phase change material layer to control a temperature of the first phase change material and a temperature of the storage interior chamber.