Donally's Doll House & Toy Museum is a non-profit museum and relies upon the generous contributions made by our patrons to continue providing our amazing collection and programing to the community. We are designated by the Internal Revenue Service as tax exempt as defined in section 501c(3) of the Internal Revenue code and, as such, gifts to us may qualify as a charitable deduction. Our tax ID number is 39-3241646.
HOW TO DONATE TO THE MUSEUM
Thank you for considering a donation to Donally's Doll House & Toy Museum
As a How do I donate an object to the Museum?
Please send an email describing your object along with clear digital images showing the object from all sides, top and bottom. Any maker's marks should also be photographed. Include a description of your object, including manufacturer and/or collection, dimensions, and any additional information about the provenance (previous history, treatments, repairs or restorations, appraisals, etc.) that you have.
Unsolicited items that arrive at the Museum headquarters may not be accepted.
Your email can be sent to [email protected]. Please put DONATE in the subject line.
How long before I learn whether the Museum wants to acquire my object?
The most time-consuming portion of the acquisition process is gathering information from the donor. We may have to contact you several times before we have enough information for your object to be considered by the Collections Committee. Sometimes additional research into legal issues or consultation with outside curatorial experts may be necessary. Once we have all the necessary information, your object will be considered a monthly meeting of our Collections Committee. Once the Committee's recommendation has been received by the Museum Director, you will be contacted with a formal reply.
How does the Museum decide which objects to accept for the collection?
Donally's Doll House & Toy Museum has a formal decision-making procedure for accepting objects into the Museum. First an object is assessed based upon museum standards including relevance to the collection, condition of the object, duplication/similarity, interest, etc. Next, the findings are discussed at a monthly Collections Committee meeting. The Committee make a recommendation to the Museum Director for final approval.
PLEASE NOTE: Donally's Doll House & Toy Museum does not accept conditional gifts or donations, including but not limited to those requiring exhibition, display stipulations, limitations on loans or publication, and/or limiting public access.
Can I send my object to the Museum now?
Please do not send unsolicited objects to the museum. We will contact you at an appropriate time to arrange shipping to the museum. Unsolicited items are not the responsibility of Donally's Doll House & Toy Museum, and the items safety is not guaranteed.
How is ownership transferred?
The legal mechanism for transferring ownership of an object is different depending on how the object is offered. With a gift, the donor is provided a copy of our Deed of Gift which should be signed by the donor and sent to the Museum with the donated item(s). Once we receive the Deed of Gift, the Museum Director signs it and a copy is emailed or mailed back to the donor.
If the item is being sold to the Museum, the object(s) become the property of Donally's Doll House & Toy Museum once the final payment is made. Payment will not be authorized until the Museum receives the object and its condition is verified.
Whether an item is donated to the Museum or purchased by the Museum, we ask that all intellectual property rights that exist in the object are donated to Donally's Doll House & Toy Museum along with the title to the object. We believe this is important for following the internationally recognized museum best practices and will allow us to utilize the object to best fulfill the Museums mission.
Can I stipulation certain conditions for my object to be donated?
It is our practice and policy to not accept any donations with conditions attached. Accepting donations with conditions attached does not align with modern museum practices. According to the Best Museum Practices established by the American Alliance of Museums, the American Association for State and Local History, and the International Council of Museums, professional museums should never accept conditional artifact donations.
How can I make a contribution to support the cost of caring for my object?
Collections stewardship requires considerable resources of space, materials, and personnel and are grateful to donors who understand this. To make such a gift and contribute funds to support the preservation and accessibility of collections, contact us by email at [email protected] or by telephone at 517-356-0443 and talk with Valerie Donally.
Can you appraise my donation?
Unfortunately, we are prohibited by Federal law from providing identification or appraisal services for donated items. As a potential donor, you are responsible for obtaining appraisals for your items and are encouraged to seek tax advice on any donation valuated at more than $5,000.00. Please contact the regional branch of the Appraisers Association of America, the American Society of Appraisers, or the International Society of Appraisers. Note that Donally's Doll House & Toy Museum is in no way affiliated with any of these organizations.
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