| Many times over the years since this web site began I've
received requests for information regarding where one might donate
memorabilia, photos, souvenirs, or other items of interest collected
by those who lived and/or fought in Alaska, more specifically in (but not
limited to) the Aleutian islands during WWII.
We appreciate the expertise, help, assistance, and advice from the many
folks associated with Alaskan archival institutions who have
provided us with some very good information, tips, and things to
know regarding your potential contributions.
Some Things to
Consider
Sell on eBay or contribute to a museum?
This is but one of the many choices you will be facing when
dealing with the disposition of a veteran's collection of
memorabilia.
Items sold on eBay are often those
purchased by an individual looking to maximize profits on a purchase
more than likely from an estate sale. A veteran's collection is
often disassembled and sold piecemeal by the seller. Thus we find
photo albums taken apart, with photos sold by the page or one at a
time. The collection is thus destroyed forever with its original owner forgotten.
As our veterans leave us for that final
bivouac in the sky, often the
items they leave behind are all we have to tell their story. Items
that may not seem important to us can be vital in piecing together
the big picture, missing history, and answer questions about events that are long
past. Museums and other archival institutions are for the most part grateful for donations of anything
and everything that has survived the ravages of time. Those items,
and the tales they tell, often cannot be recreated or replaced.
Items from Alaska, should you decide to contribute them, can be
preserved and protected in public archives or museums, accompanied
with information about who collected them, and
thus be studied and enjoyed by those with historical interests for decades to come.
Having said that, there are times when a
museum may not have an interest in your donation. It's nothing
personal. As museums become
well established and having themselves survived the passage of time
they ultimately reach a point where their available display space becomes limited
to none existant, and their supportive resources are taxed to the
limits. This implies that at some point they must become more
selective regarding what donations they are able to accept. Each
museum also evolves an institutional mission. Each donation must
pass muster and fit the museum's mission before it would be
accepted. Many local museums have decided that a donation must
somehow connect to its community, region, or state. On occasion a
donation may be a duplicate of what a museum currently has in its
inventory. In this case the museum may not be able to justify adding
another example. In this case, in order for your donation to be
exhibited, your donation would have to be an improvement over what
another donation brings to the display case. Another point to
consider is that a donated item may be too large or in such poor
condition that they may not be able to take care of it over the long
haul. Some museums, such as the "Museum of Science and Industry"
located in Chicago, Illinois, are so large and technically capable
that they can accept items such as
submarines, airplanes, trains...or even a mummy from Egypt! Other
museums, much smaller in size and consisting of only a one-room,
climatically uncontrolled effort in a small village simply could not accommodate such objects.
Each museum's exhibiting capabilities will fall somewhere in the
middle of these two extremes.
Not all archives and museums are alike. Some are relatively
inaccessible, visited by only a few researchers a year. Some museums
and archives are understaffed...so backed up with cataloging their
collections that if you donate something it may be years before the
items find their way into collections and display cases where they
could be seen. While it is true that most professional museums don't
take years to make accepted donations accessible to the public in
some fashion, there are some understaffed museums and archives that
are faced with this reality. It may also be the case that some
artifacts and/or archival materials are only of interest to
specialized researchers and may never be exhibited. Some items
remain too fragile to exhibit depending upon the technical
capabilities of the museum itself. Some museums don't have enough
space to display all of their collections at one time. To alleviate
this problem some exhibits are displayed only temporarily, being
replaced on a rotating basis with another after a period of time.
Other donations in acceptable condition are circulated as travelling
exhibits, giving these items the chance to be seen by the public as
well. Professional museums will never guarantee that something you
donate will always be on exhibit, but this shouldn't deter donors
from contributing. Ask questions before donating, whether it be in
Alaska, your home state, or elsewhere. You want to know that your
donated items will be well-cared for by professional staff, and made
available for viewing or study by the greatest number of people.
Ask how your items will be cared for or
stored, how many people will be able to access them (How many
researchers use the archives per year and how many visitors to the
museum?), and when and how they will be made available to the public
(Will the items be displayed, put into a research collection,
incorporated into educational kit that goes out to schools, or ???).
The answers will help you decide where you want to donate. While the
greatest number of people can access the larger museums and
archives, sometimes those already have what you wish to donate, and
smaller museums are thrilled to receive them and put them on
display.
Indentify the museum with the strongest
connection to the materials you wish to donate, and make every
effort to place your items there. Such institutions will guarantee
the best use of your donation in meaningful ways. Find a connection
between the person who owned the material, where they came from or
where they served. This would narrow down the region on which to
focus. Once you have selected a region, then look for a museum,
library, or archival institution that is building its holdings of
WWII material, and which either has exhibits or plans for exhibits
relating to the subject.
Ask if the museum is privately owned or
if it is a public endeavor. Is the museum a non-profit entity with a
board of directors or is it a government entity. Understand what, if
any, assumed liabilities there may be between the museum and
potential donors. Keep in mind that private museums are occasionally
dismantled, with their "objet d'art" sold to eBay or other auction
facilities. If it is a concern, understand what your rights are in
terms of repossessing your donations should a museum cease
operations. Make sure you are comfortable with your final selection
of the place that would take possession of, care for, and display
your treasures.
Send as much information as you can with
the items: names, dates, locations, etc. You can donate in the
memory of a family member, naming your collection. When photo images
are used, they are often credited to, for example, the "Sikorski
Collection, Williwaw Archives."
This information from Bruce Kato, Chief
Curator of Alaska State Museums: "All donations of property to a
museum should be documented with receipts and/or deeds of gift. For
donations valued at over $5000, they will need Form 8283, which has
a section to be completed by the appraiser and another for the
recipient of the property. Helpful info on valuations and
deductions: IRS 's online publications on deductions and valuations:
http://www.irs.gov/publications/p561/ar02.html#d0e617
http://www.irs.gov/publications/p526/ar02.html#d0e1297
Alaska includes what is referred to as
their "big three" museums and/or libraries. They are similar in
terms of what they collect as well as accessibility to researchers
and students. Fairbanks has the largest campus, but certainly
Anchorage is also very large. Juneau has the southeast branch and
should not be forgotten. In some cases you should not discard the
possibility that your collection may well be a better fit with more
remote museums, such as the "Museum of the Aleutians!" Give them all
close and special scrutiny.
By donating your items, you are
preserving an important part of history, and the legacy of the
person who collected them. You are making sure that the items will
be available for future generations to help them learn the story of the past.
Your gift will live on forever.
Included below you will find information
about various museums and archival houses around Alaska. Find one
that fits your item's description and genre, then contact the
appropriate facility directly. Web site URLs as well as phone
numbers and points of contact when available have been provided for each.
Good luck!
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