Donations – offering items
There are 2 ways to donate –
1. complete our online form at –
OR
2. email us –
Please email museum@rbwm.gov.uk
- Please include the details requested below in your email
- Please include ‘DONATION OFFER’ in the subject heading of your email.
In your email include –
- Your name
- Your telephone/mobile number
- Photographs of the items – as an email attachment ideally.
- Details and background information about item (please see ‘Object Information’ below)
Object Information (Provenance)
Please provide us with as much information as you have on the item/s being offered.
Please tell us –
- What is it? (e.g. photograph, video, object, letter, diary, artwork, toy etc.)
- What does it look like what can you see? (e.g. describe the appearance of an object or the subject of a photograph etc.)
- Where was it taken, made or produced? (be as specific as possible e.g. town, postcode)
- When was it taken, written, made or produced? Was it made locally?
- Why is it important? (e.g. significance to you, your family, work / reason you have collected it). Does it have significance within the history of your family, or the business or place it originally came from? Has the item been in your possession or in your family a long time?
- Do you have a memory / memories attached to the item? Please tell us about it/them.
- Are there are other items associated with the item you are offering? If you do not wish to part with these other items, please do tell us about them and we will discuss with you the possibility of the museum having copies of them to be used as reference and research.
Once we have received your email – we will confirm we have received it and let you know when your offer will be proposed at our Collections & Donations Panel meetings.
Unsolicited item/s
We welcome donations of items to the museum collection but please complete the online form or email us first.
Please do not bring the item/s into the museum until we have agreed with you that the item/s have been accepted and have arranged a time and date when we can receive the item/s.
Collections and Donations Panel
Any item offered to the museum will be carefully considered by our Collections & Donations Panel. The panel will refer to the museum’s Collections Policy. Having all the information you know about the item/s being donated helps the Panel make an informed decision.
The Collections & Donations Panel meet once a month. Once the Panel have decided, we will notify you of the decision.
Accepted Donations
If a donation is accepted, we will then organise a time and date with you for the item/s to be transferred to the museum.
When the item/s are transferred to the museum, we will talk through our Museum Entry Form with you. The form confirms our receipt of the item/s, transfer of ownership and copyright details. Once it is signed, we will give you a copy of the Entry form for your own records.
The item/s will be accessioned into the collection by being given an object ID number and all the information about that item is recorded on our Collections Management System/database.
Refused Donations
If a donation is refused, we will explain the panel decision and may be able to provide other possible options. We may also be able to help with information and resources to aid your own research about the item/s.
About us – the Museum
Our mission is to share stories of the Royal Borough beyond the castle walls. We aim to connect everyone to our past to help understand the present and inspire all our futures.
We are an Accredited Museum through the Arts Council Accreditation Scheme – Accredited Museum no 1465, working to a professional standard and follow the Museum Association Code of Ethics. Find more information at www.museumsassociation.org/campaigns/ethics/code-of-ethics/
For more information about us, please visit windsormuseum.org.uk/about-the-museum/
Thank you
Thank you for considering Windsor & Royal Borough Museum for your donation. We look forward to hearing from you.
museum@rbwm.gov.uk
Museum: 01628 685686
