An automatic warehouse, including; an outer casing; one or more support structures, configured for defining a plurality of stopping positions, each of which can support a tray, which is in turn intended to contain a plurality of articles; a main opening, through which it is possible to access the inside of the warehouse; a movement unit, arranged to cause the trays to move between their relative positions on the support structures, and a temporary stopping station at which the articles can be picked up or made to lie onto the tray; a control module, which governs the operation of the movement unit, that contains in its memory the data relating to both the position of each article with respect to the support structures, and the position of each article on its own tray; a device for selectively picking up and depositing articles, connected to the control module, comprising: a support plane, for the temporary support of an article, positioned in the vicinity of the main opening; a temporary support, for the temporary support of a tray that defines said temporary stopping station for the trays; a manipulator (4,5), which is configured to grasp and release an article and to translate the article between the support plane and the temporary support; wherein: the manipulator (4,5) and the temporary support are movable relative to one another along a vertical direction, between a position of maximum distance and a position of minimum distance; in the position of minimum distance, the manipulator (4,5) is configured to pick up an article from or deposit an article onto the temporary support, or onto the tray supported by the temporary support; in the position of maximum distance, the manipulator (4,5) is configured to move on a horizontal plane without interfering with other articles lying on the temporary support; wherein the temporary support is vertically movable between an upper position, wherein the manipulator (4,5) is configured to pick up or release an article, and a lower position, located below the upper position; the height of the lower position is configured to allow an article to be translated on the horizontal plane without any interference with other articles lying on the temporary support. an outer casing; one or more support structures, configured for defining a plurality of stopping positions, each of which can support a tray, which is in turn intended to contain a plurality of articles; a main opening, through which it is possible to access the inside of the warehouse; a movement unit, arranged to cause the trays to move between their relative positions on the support structures, and a temporary stopping station at which the articles can be picked up or made to lie onto the tray; a control module, which governs the operation of the movement unit, that contains in its memory the data relating to both the position of each article with respect to the support structures, and the position of each article on its own tray; a device for selectively picking up and depositing articles, connected to the control module, comprising: a support plane, for the temporary support of an article, positioned in the vicinity of the main opening; a temporary support, for the temporary support of a tray that defines said temporary stopping station for the trays; a manipulator (4,5), which is configured to grasp and release an article and to translate the article between the support plane and the temporary support; wherein: a support plane, for the temporary support of an article, positioned in the vicinity of the main opening; a temporary support, for the temporary support of a tray that defines said temporary stopping station for the trays; a manipulator (4,5), which is configured to grasp and release an article and to translate the article between the support plane and the temporary support; wherein: the manipulator (4,5) and the temporary support are movable relative to one another along a vertical direction, between a position of maximum distance and a position of minimum distance; in the position of minimum distance, the manipulator (4,5) is configured to pick up an article from or deposit an article onto the temporary support, or onto the tray supported by the temporary support; in the position of maximum distance, the manipulator (4,5) is configured to move on a horizontal plane without interfering with other articles lying on the temporary support; wherein the temporary support is vertically movable between an upper position, wherein the manipulator (4,5) is configured to pick up or release an article, and a lower position, located below the upper position; the height of the lower position is configured to allow an article to be translated on the horizontal plane without any interference with other articles lying on the temporary support.