If you have something that you think might be of interest to our curators, which you would like to offer to the museum, please contact us in advance. You can do this in writing, by email or by telephone, supplying as much information as you can. It would be helpful if you can include a photograph of the item with your description.

Before you contact us, please be aware that:

  • We don’t usually accept items on long-term loan.
  • We don’t accept items with specific conditions attached.
  • We can’t accept hazardous items unless they are important to tell the local story.

Summary of the Collecting Policy

We collect items made in, used in, found in, made by people from or that otherwise reflect the history and culture of the District of North Hertfordshire. Before we can take something, we need to know that it has significance and value to the Museum because of its:

  • relevance to themes, issues, events and people of importance to North Hertfordshire’s past and present, and/or
  • relevance to subjects identified in the strategic plan for collecting or programme activity, and/or
  • relevance to scholarship or the public understanding of North Hertfordshire’s past and present histories and cultures.

For further details, ask to see the Collection Development Policy.

If you would like us to consider a donation, please fill in this online form or download the North Hertfordshire Museum Donation Form.

What happens if we accept your item?

If we accept your item, we will keep it in a store that has appropriate environmental conditions for the care and management of the object. It may be used in special exhibitions or lent for exhibition at other accredited institutions. It will also be available for research purposes by our curators and visitors. If your item may be more useful as part of our ‘handling’ collection, we will ask your permission to add it to this valuable Museum resource rather than accession it to the Collection.

What if we do not accept your item?

We are not able to accept everything that is offered to us and if we do not accept your item, please do not be offended – it may be due to one of the following reasons:

  • we already have a similar item in our collection;
  • the item does not meet the criteria of our Collecting Policy;
  • the item is not in good condition;
  • there is not enough information about the history of the item.

If your item is not suitable for either our collection or handling selection, we will try to advise you of another institution which may be interested in acquiring it.