The Museum of Culpeper History accepts donations of objects to add to our permanent collection to aid in our mission to illuminate Culpeper’s rich history. The museum is most interested in original artifacts associated with people, places, and events in Culpeper County. Replicas and reproductions are unlikely to be accepted except as teaching aids. Although the museum frequently takes objects on loan for specific exhibitions and projects, unsolicited loans are unlikely to be accepted.

If you are interested in making a donation, please contact the Executive Director for information on the donation process and to schedule an appointment to assess your items and sign the necessary paperwork. The museum will want to know as many details as possible about your item; its age, where it came from, where it was made, who it belonged to, etc. You may be asked to provide digital photographs in advance of your visit. Please do not bring objects to the museum without an appointment. The museum cannot guarantee that a staff member will be available to review and accept your item without an appointment. Front desk staff cannot accept object donations.

If a donation is accepted, the donor will be asked to sign a Deed of Gift. Upon signing this form, the object becomes the property of the Museum of Culpeper History and cannot be returned. The museum cannot guarantee that objects donated will be placed on exhibition. Due to space restrictions, only a small fraction of our collections are on exhibit at any one time. 

The museum may, with the approval of its Board of Directors, remove objects from its collection through a process called deaccessioning. Determining factors for deaccessioning an object include damage that is beyond repair, condition issues that threaten the museum and its other collections, duplication of other items in the collection, or objects that are outside the scope of the museum’s mission or collections policy. Deaccessioned objects may be donated to another institution, destroyed, or sold.

Items donated to the Museum of Culpeper History are tax deductible for both federal and Commonwealth of Virginia tax purposes.  As the museum cannot offer tax advice, it is the responsibility of the donor to consult with a tax advisor regarding the details of potential tax benefits.  It is the donor’s responsibility to obtain a formal appraisal of the object’s value; federal law prohibits the museum from providing an appraisal. The following organizations can assist in locating an appraiser:

American Society of Appraisers
http://www.appraisers.org/

International Society of Appraisers
http://www.isa-appraisers.org/

Appraisers Association of America
http://www.appraisersassoc.org/

The Museum of Culpeper History is a registered charitable organization within the Commonwealth of Virginia. A financial statement is available upon written request from the Office of Consumer Affairs.