Has anyone ever lent anything to a museum?

[Jack's Son]

I have one item that is on display and also being actively researched. My agreement has specific details written into it regarding movement of the piece, display and controlled access. It is one year increments that automatically renew unless I request the item be returned.

I have complete access to the item and trust in the person who runs the instatution. Although not every safeguard is written into the agreement, the element of trust and commitment is there on both sides.

[Gregory]

Has anyone ever lent anything to a museum?

Yes.

 

At one time I lent a part of my collection for the museum that organized an exhibition dedicated to Market Garden Operation. Nothing bad happened to my items, all of them returned home in ideal condition as before exhibition.

[gliderrider401]

I am aware of a Forum Moderator (they can share their name if they want, otherwise we'll remain nameless) who lent a treasure trove of items to a museum - one of a kind items with deep personal connections. After the exhibit time expired and it was time to retrieve the items, numerous high-valued items were simply 'missing' and the person had a tough time even reclaiming what he loaned to the museum.

 

I have several other instances of these types of incidents but will leave it at that. Personally, I will not loan anything out. Many items I have come with tremendous responsibility, and if something ever 'happended' to them, then what?

 

There's some excellent advice in this thread to follow if you do loan items out. :thumbsup:

[jgawne]

I have, and I now normally won't. (Depending). I just turned over my mother's historic textile colection to a university after having had some of it on loan for 25 years. If you are doing it right it is a lot of work.

 

There is ALWAYS wear and tear on the item (exposure to UV light, moths, etc.).

 

ALWAYS have a full description of EVERYTHING with a photo before it leaves your house. Make THEM go over each item as you bring it in and initial they have taken control of it.

 

Always have "the chief person" not an aide, sign the agreement of responisbility, and you should [probably make the agreement for "replacement of item if lost" or an estimate of what it worth, so when they take control of your $1,000 helmet they know to handle it as a $1,000 item and not "just a $10 surplus helmet".

 

 

 

and keep aware that anything handed to a museum is considered YOUR property unless you sign a deed of gift. Once you do so it becomes theirs.

[4STARCHRIS]

I have loaned my collection of general officers and uniforms on numerous occasions to museums and exhibits for years. A few things I have learned.

1. Make sure it is very clear how the exhibit is going to be displayed or viewed. Get the exact terms in writing and signed by the APPROPRIATE individuals.

APPROPRIATE individuals is the key.

i.e. Is the exhibit going to be in the public access. Meaning can they ACCESS your items. Many of times a rope was the only thing that protected my items from the public. A DO NOT TOUCH sign does not mean they will not touch. 100% of the time THEY ARE GOING TO TOUCH.

2. Proper LIGHTING. THIS will kill any item if not properly done. Hopefully, indirect or reflected lighting can be used. DO NOT display your collection under direct lighting. This is why many museums have gone "dark". No flash allowed.

3. Are the items secured. Both from the public and the staff. Very important. Some museums are not responsible for the actions of their staff.

I have knowof original items on displayed to be replaced by an items that are not original.

4.Location in the museum. Are they close to the door? The closer to a door that is used regularly the less change of climate control and the outside weather coming in and effecting you collection.

5. Glass. Is the cabinet or display of the collection behind what type of glass. This is important for the items, where museums do allow flashes, if the glass is standard high glare glass your items can be exposed to too many flashes. Again a light issue.

6.Please make sure ALL your items are logged in and photographed. A photograph of your items are very important if you ever feel they have been tampered with. Every item i have ever lent out has been pic and verified by the recieving museum. Front and back with hallmarks as well. This keeps #3 from happening and your proof if it does.

All my experinces have been favorable with the museums and or facilities where they have been displayed. SMART, SMART, SMART upfront, documented, responsible facilites is the best way to prevent problems. Go to the place you want to put them in advance on numerous occasions if possible to see how they treat and display things. Talk to the staff as a "visitor" to see how they treat "joe" public.

Hope this helps

4starchris

7. Who pays for the insurance? It should be a policy for both lost and or damaged and or manipulated. Very important to have a proper apprasial. They said its worth $10.00 you say $1000.00. With the item gone,damaged,or manipulated you will loose. Hesaid they said. Get it in writing.

Ditto on last post.

4starchris

[Bluehawk]

7. Who pays for the insurance? It should be a policy for both lost and or damaged and or manipulated. Very important to have a proper apprasial. They said its worth $10.00 you say $1000.00.

The custodian of an artifact, i.e. the museum, will carry and pay for some form of loss and damage insurance, or they will self-insure. There is an enormous museum insurance industry. It pays to ask if they have any, however.

 

There are two kinds of insurance.

 

- Blanket, i.e. a maximum amount that would be paid in the event of catastrophic loss of everything or the most expensive item(s). When losses occur under this insurance, normally something considerably less than the upper limit is involved.

- Scheduled, i.e. each and every item is insured for its value separately, and the periodic premium is increased or decreased depending on the total value of the museum's collection at a given point in time.

 

Museum objects usually (or should) have 3 evaluations on record:

 

- Purchase price

- Insured value

- Appraised value

 

All of which can be the same or different.

 

Whatever value appears on the official Receipt, which is signed for by the museum representative and the donor/lender - is what the insurance company will go by in the event of loss or damage.

 

"Total loss" is a thorny issue in museums because insurance companies usually gain salvage ownership of the remains (if any) when such a claim is paid off.

 

There are some other fine details involved, so if anyone is interested in that minutiae, let me know by pm. I spent a lot of years dealing with this stuff every day - and even went to school for it, several times.

 

I could tell a good many stories about lender/donor misconduct too.

[easterneagle87]

What a neat topic,

 

I have a second HORROR story. Years ago Beale AFB in Central/Northern California had a museum. I know, because i was there and saw it in 1994.

 

Since then it closed and ALL itenms were boxed up and shipped back to "THE" Real AF Museum at Wright-Patternson. I mean ALL items, including those that were on loan (WW2 Panzer Black wrap around tunic and knight cross). I'm not sure the items were returned, and if they were..it took years to get them back.

 

My best opinion..(like @$$#oles, we all have them), If you want to donate..donate! If lending, follow the great advice listed above. If local, donate your Time. Learn the stories and pass them along. TWO GREAT museums in my sphere are; the Legion of Valor in Fresno, CA AND The Museum of the Forgotten Warriors just outside of Marysville, CA. This guy isn't even a Vet and has assembled a freaking awesome place! Hours are limited so plan ahead.

[Bluehawk]

Whatever value appears on the official Receipt, which is signed for by the museum representative and the donor/lender - is what the insurance company will go by in the event of loss or damage.

I ought to add that not once in more than 30 years did I witness ANY insurer not paying the full amount of any claim of loss or damage.

 

Frustrating as that was sometimes, insurers evidently take the view that litigating the claim is going to be more expensive than just paying it.

 

The "loss ratio" of most museums as an industry is rather low, believe it or not. So, their premiums are usually not all that high, relatively speaking. But, minor damage or "mysterious disappearance" does happen - often at the hands of shippers and (yes) lenders more than museum personnel.

 

As in most areas of human existence, good record keeping by BOTH PARTIES goes a long way in preventing horror stories (like the one easterneagle recalled) down the road.

[disneydave]

I lent 50 items from my own collection to The Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco. I got to meet and develop a friendship with the curator and I toured their archive facilities. I had no qualms whatosever about loaning them material and will do so again in the future.

 

As to the Air Force Museum in Ohio, they did have a big Disney exhibit several years ago, and quite a few of the items on display were loaned to them and they were not in any way part of their permanent collection, nor were the items donated after the exhibit was over.

 

I am currently thinking of approaching the Boeing Museum in Seattle to see if they would be interested in mounting a display. There are lots of safeguards you need to take, and things you need to research, but my experience so far has been positive.

[BOLO]

What a neat topic,

 

I have a second HORROR story. Years ago Beale AFB in Central/Northern California had a museum. I know, because i was there and saw it in 1994.

 

Since then it closed and ALL itenms were boxed up and shipped back to "THE" Real AF Museum at Wright-Patternson. I mean ALL items, including those that were on loan (WW2 Panzer Black wrap around tunic and knight cross). I'm not sure the items were returned, and if they were..it took years to get them back.

 

My best opinion..(like @$$#oles, we all have them), If you want to donate..donate! If lending, follow the great advice listed above. If local, donate your Time. Learn the stories and pass them along. TWO GREAT museums in my sphere are; the Legion of Valor in Fresno, CA AND The Museum of the Forgotten Warriors just outside of Marysville, CA. This guy isn't even a Vet and has assembled a freaking awesome place! Hours are limited so plan ahead.

 

last time I visited the Museum of Forgotton Warriors near Beale afb, it had lots of wasted space filled with stuff like current ball caps & boots from Beale, donated items with writing with permanent black marker with notes written to the curator Dan Spear, ruining the item, I saw a uniform that was donated and it had large writing on it by the vet that gave it to the museum [ruined] a hand written note on a piece of paper would have been best

 

I wouldnt donate to this museum, Ive seen the curator reselling it at shows

[canadian bacon]

ive never lent anything to a museum however i have donated a medal to a regimental museum and that worked out very well now it has a place of honour that is beyond anything i could have ever done.

cheers michael

[easterneagle87]

last time I visited the Museum of Forgotton Warriors near Beale afb, it had lots of wasted space filled with stuff like current ball caps & boots from Beale, donated items with writing with permanent black marker with notes written to the curator Dan Spear, ruining the item, I saw a uniform that was donated and it had large writing on it by the vet that gave it to the museum [ruined] a hand written note on a piece of paper would have been best

 

I wouldnt donate to this museum, Ive seen the curator reselling it at shows

 

How can you call it RUINED? Adding personal touch to a donated item is saying something. Just because the item isn't left as "mint" doesn't make it ruined. Does it suck to see a TR flag inscribed with the names of the unit that captured it? From a capitalist sense, yes! As the value just took a hit. Maybe we are so tied up in "HOW MUCH IS IT WORTH" , that we forget about the people (vets, their families and friends) who need to be remember for their service. If the vet chose to do it then good for him. As for wasted space? I didn't know that by donating and having an item (current or not) displayed is called wasted space. Maybe when they bring their family back they can say, "See that cap, That's my contribution." Someday that stuff will be old too.

 

I don't know about selling the items, but if he has permission to do so to help support a pretty cool place that he has done on his own...AND IS'T EVEN A VET, then maybe he does it to support a purely volunteer operation. Maybe some donations need to be made to his non-profit.