Saluda Historic Depot & Museum Donations & Collections Policy
Since 2015 when the Depot opened, it has acquired most of its artifact collection through public donations. The “curator committee” consisting of designated Depot board members supervises the acquisition of artifacts. This is to assure that your donation meets the Depot’s criteria for collections so that it can be displayed in the Depot with the appropriate exhibit space that it may deserve.
To donate an object, please contact the museum at 828-769-9016 or e-mail Mark Ray at mraycobra@gmail.com Plan to describe the object in detail and leave a detailed message, if necessary, so that your voice-mail or e-mail message can be replied to in a timely matter. If sending an email, attaching images of the artifact to your email will be incredibly helpful to the committee, as well. If you bring the artifact to the Depot, then please expect to leave it so that it can be evaluated for the museum collections. If it is not accepted, then you will be contacted to retrieve the item.
The committee will work with you to determine whether the object meets the museum's collecting criteria. Criteria for evaluating the object for acceptance into the collection include the following considerations:
Was the object made or used in North Carolina?
What is the object's historical significance?
Can documentation (written or oral) on the object be found?
Does the object need conservation work?
Does the object support the existing collection?
Is the object a duplicate?
What is the object's exhibit potential?
What impact would the object have on available storage space?
If the object meets enough criteria, the SHD curating committee will determine its suitability, and someone from the committee will notify you of the committee's decision and arrange for delivery or pick up.
If the object is accepted, you will receive 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 Saluda Historic Depot.
If the object is on loan and not gifted to the Depot, then you will receive a “Donation/Loan” form that certifies the object is yours to donate and that you agree to release and indemnify the Depot from any loss of damage that may occur to your object while held on display at the Depot.
Thank you for considering the Saluda Historic Depot as a potential home for your artifact or memorabilia!
