Search the Collections  Collections Management Section  Curation Section  Conservation Section Home / Artifacts / Curation Section / Frequently Asked Questions How Can I Donate an Artifact to the Museum? What Is the Museum Looking For? Can the Museum Appraise Objects for Me? How Can I Donate an Artifact to the Museum? . . . And Is It Tax Deductible? Over the years the North Carolina Museum of History has acquired approximately 85 percent of its artifact collection through public donations. The curatorial staff supervises the acquisition of artifacts. A wish list of objects the museum is seeking to acquire often appears on this Web site. To donate an object, please contact the museum at 919-807-7900 or ncmoh@ncmail.net. Describe the object in detail so that your call or e-mail message can be directed to the proper curator. The curator will determine whether the object meets the museum's collecting criteria. In evaluating the object for acceptance into the collection, the curator will consider the following questions: Was the object made or used in North Carolina? What is the object's historical significance? Is there documentation (written or oral) on the object? Does the object need conservation work? Does the object duplicate or support the existing collection? What is the object's exhibit potential? What impact would the object have on available storage space? If the object meets the criteria, the curator will present it to the Acquisitions Committee. After examining the object, the committee will vote on accepting it. The curator will notify you of the committee's decision. If the object is accepted, a registrar from the Collections Management Section will send you a deed of gift form. This legal document certifies that the object is yours to donate and that you agree to assign all rights associated with the object to the museum. When you sign and return the deed of gift, the object becomes part of the collection of the North Carolina Museum of History. Is my donation tax deductible? Yes. You can use the signed deed of gift as an acknowledgment of your donation to the North Carolina Museum of History. (The museum does not provide appraisals.) The IRS requires that you include Form 8283—available from your accountant or the IRS—with your tax return if the value of your contribution is more than $500. (Back to Top) What Is the Museum Looking For? The North Carolina Museum of History receives frequent inquiries from the public about artifact donations (How Can I Donate an Artifact to the Museum?). From time to time, the museum seeks particular objects to strengthen its collection or to feature in exhibits. The museum is presently looking for objects related to the Civil Rights movement in North Carolina The Museum of History is developing a major exhibit about North Carolinians and the Civil Rights movement. A Change Is Gonna Come: Black, Indian, and White Voices for Equality, opening soon, will focus on the struggle for racial equality in North Carolina from the 1860s to the 1980s through the personal stories of the state's citizens. The museum seeks to acquire civil rights–related artifacts by donation, loan, or purchase. If you have photographs, signs, documents, clothing, items from segregation-era schools, or other objects that reflect stories and events of the Civil Rights movement, please call Shirl Spicer at 919-807-7961. The museum is also looking for objects related to the experiences of minority communities in North Carolina objects related to the Wright brothers and the origin of manned flight in North Carolina objects related to the early and colonial history of North Carolina (Back to Top) Can the Museum Appraise Objects for Me? No. Although the North Carolina Museum of History welcomes artifact donations, it does not provide authentication and appraisal services. An object's value can often be determined by consulting one of the many price guides available in libraries and bookstores. Some price guides provide approximate values for different types of objects; others offer specific price information. If you wish to obtain a formal, written appraisal of an object (for which you will most likely be charged a fee), please consult the following professional associations to find an accredited appraiser in your area: American Society of Appraisers 555 Herndon Parkway, Suite 125 Herndon, VA 20170 Phone: 703-478-2228 Fax: 703-742-8471 http://www.appraisers.org Appraisers Association of America 386 Park Avenue South, Suite 2000 New York, NY 10016 Phone: 212-889-5404 Fax: 212-889-5503 http://www.appraisersassoc.org International Society of Appraisers Riverview Plaza Office Park 16040 Christensen Road, Suite 102 Seattle, WA 98188-2929 Phone: 206-241-0359 Fax: 206-241-0436 http://www.isa-appraisers.org (Back to Top)