Too much moisture from the ground is coming through the concrete. It is probably not a good long-term idea to finish the inside or have (non-cold) pantry storage until the water is addressed from outside. Nothing can be applied to the inside to stop the moisture.

You sure can insulate and/or paint the walls. By the looks of it, you should really address what weems to be water seepage issues before you do finishing things like insulation and/or paint. Better part of wisdom would be to get a basement waterproofing pro in to look at what you got going on before you finish the area.

What they^^ said. And, you should get those aluminum pots off of the bare concrete. Reason is that the aluminum will corrode (concrete in contact with metal is corrosive) and you pots will have pinhole leaks in the bottom.

Once you get the moisture situation straightened out, this would make a great cold pantry. I have a similar room that was covered in 2" foil faced rigid foam. I removed it to expose the concrete so the room would actually get cold. You can paint the walls (once you're sure moisture is not coming in) for a better look. And most importantly, you'll need a good door that seals, preferably insulated (i.e. an exterior door). But almost anything will work IF it has weatherstripping and a threshold. Otherwise, drafts.

Thank you all for the replies. I’ll look for a waterproofing person/company to have the moisture issue assessed. Kinda has a feeling I shouldn’t do anything until that is taken care of.