Object donation

Please note:

• 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, view our Collection Development Policy.

What happens if we accept your item?

If we accept your item, we will store 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.