Donations

For over 100 years, the public has helped to create our remarkable museum collection which has helped make such a difference to so many lives.

We deeply appreciate offers of donations, we have a comprehensive process to evaluate which items can be accepted.

Due to limited storage space and the high costs of care and conservation, we require to be selective to ensure the protection of our current collection so that it can be continued to be enjoyed.

The museum adheres to a Collection Management Plan that guides the strategic development of our collection.
Donations are accepted if they align with this plan, criteria for accepting items in to our collection include;

  • Important to the heritage of Middlesbrough
  • Relevant and enhances our current collections
  • Condition of the item
  • Size and store capacity

Making a donation

If you wish to donate to Middlesbrough Museums, please follow this process:

  1. If you have an object to donate, complete the form below.
    We will need your name, contact details, information about your object, and a photograph.
  2. If your item are of interest to the collection, we may request to hold it temporarily for while we study it further. During this period, you will receive a receipt and a timeline for our decision, we would aim to notify you within one month.
  3. If we accept your donation in to the Middlesbrough Collection, we would require you to complete a transfer of ownership form. We will then finalise our acquisition process, and your object will become part of Middlesbrough Museums' Collection.
  4. If we do not accept your object, it could be for one or more of the following reasons:
    • We already have similar items.
    • The item does not align with our collecting priorities.
    • The item is not in suitable condition.
    • The item's provenance is unknown or unclear.

If appropriate, we may suggest other museums that might be interested.

  • Please do not send unsolicited objects through the post or bring objects to our venues without prior arrangement. We cannot accept these and are not responsible for their care, condition, or return. Unsolicited items will be disposed of.
  • Middlesbrough Museums adhere to legal and international conventions on the possession and use of wildlife specimens. CITES, an international agreement, ensures that trade in wild animal and plant specimens does not threaten their survival. The 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act (WCA1981) makes it illegal to possess wild bird eggs or parts thereof, except in collections predating the Act, provided their provenance can be proven. Currently, we do not accept any egg collections, even if historically significant.
  • Donations of Natural Science specimens are reviewed by our collections team on a case-by-case basis, considering legalities, condition, and relevance to our existing collections.

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