No. Please do not drop off or mail any objects to any of the seven museums that are part of the Lakeshore Museum Center. We do not accept unsolicited donations.

If you would like to donate something, the first step is to fill out the Donation Proposal. The Collections Manager & Registrar will follow up with you.

The Lakeshore Museum Center does not purchase objects.

The Lakeshore Museum Center does not accept permanent or long-term loans. Objects that are offered to the Museum are accepted only when donated unconditionally as gifts to the Lakeshore Museum Center without restriction.

The Acquisitions Committee reviews all donations. This committee consists of both staff and board trustees representing each Museum site. Next, the Board of Trustees approves the recommendations of the Acquisitions Committee.

Please do nothing to the item. We prefer to see them in their original condition. Do not clean, repaint, refinish, or fix up historical materials before offering them to us. Sometimes that historical condition is important to the object’s story.

Please provide as much related information as possible. For example, if you offer your grandmother’s employee badge, please consider including a photograph of her, a uniform, etc.

If you have photographs, it is helpful to make a copy and write the identification of the people on the copy.

The Lakeshore Museum Center has many objects under its care. We follow specific criteria when determining whether to accept new items for the Muskegon County Archive & Collection. The first consideration is whether the object supports the Museum’s mission. The Acquisitions Committee reviews each offer and compares it with what we already have in the collection. We assess its condition and determine what Muskegon County story the object tells.

Factors that contribute to the decision include its historical and cultural significance to Muskegon County, physical condition, ownership history, and if there is a similar item in the collection. Also considered are storage and long-term preservation needs.

Once the donation is approved, the Collections Manager & Registrar will contact you. We will work with you to arrange the delivery of your donation to the Museum.

You will receive a donation acknowledgment letter and a Deed of Gift to sign. The Deed of Gift is the legal document that transfers ownership from you to the Lakeshore Museum Center. You may also receive documentation about copyright or licensing.

We assign each item a unique number and enter it into the collections management database. The object is scanned or photographed.

The Collections Manager & Registrar will contact you. If we asked you to leave the object at the Museum for review, you will have 30 days to pick it up. We will not forward material to other organizations, but we may recommend other options.

While we appreciate your request to provide financial support, the staff focus is on caring for objects in the collection. If you would like to make a financial donation to support the collection click here.

The Museum’s collection focuses on material made in, used in, or related to Muskegon County, including Lake Michigan, from prehistory to the present. We look for objects that represent or document the lives of people who lived and worked here. The most important criteria for donation is that the objects say something about Muskegon County.

The type of materials include:

• Photographs
• Books
• Film, Video, and Sound Recordings
• Business, Organizational, or Government Records
• Manuscripts
• Maps
• Oral Histories
• Art
• Objects and Artifacts

The Museum does not collect objects that have no provenance, are not connected to Muskegon County, or are reproductions of historical objects.

The Muskegon County Archive & Collection is currently not accepting

• World War II uniforms and materials
• Foreign military memorabilia
• Awards and plaques
• Newspapers or newspaper clippings
• Nationally syndicated magazines (such as Life, Time, Ladies’ Home Journal, National Geographic, etc.)
• Pianos and pump organs
• Doilies, tablecloths, pillowcases, and cloth napkins

After an object becomes a part of the Muskegon County Archive & Collection, it cannot be returned to the donor or their heirs. Once you sign a Deed of Gift, you legally transfer ownership to the Lakeshore Museum Center. Our goal as a museum is to preserve objects for the public trust so they can be enjoyed and utilized in perpetuity.

Objects can be willed to the Museum. If you wish to do so, you should contact the Collections Manager & Registrar to notify them of your intent. We will be able to learn the story behind the objects and explain in further detail the phrasing for your documents. You should also discuss any plans with an attorney. Please note, that bequests must fit the collection requirements and plan of the Museum.

Only a small percentage of the Muskegon County Archive & Collection are on exhibit at any one time. This is because there is limited gallery space and long-term display can have negative effects on preservation.

We plan exhibits a minimum of a year ahead of time and oversee the selection of objects based on their relevance to the topic, physical condition, and suitability for display. There is no commitment that the object will be on exhibit at any point in time.

However, each donation is of value to researchers and helps us understand and appreciate the history of Muskegon County. Researchers can make an appointment to view objects. We also share images on our website, social media, and through the online collections database. Furthermore, we loan objects to other museums and cultural institutions that meet certain environmental, insurance, and display requirements.

Photographs, documents, and other archival materials are available for research and reference. Please refer to the Research Request page or contact the Exhibits & Collections Director/Archivist:  [email protected].

Requests to see 3-D objects should be made with the Collections Manager & Registrar:  [email protected].

Additionally, many objects can be viewed on our online database. You can view recent acquisitions here.

No. The Internal Revenue Service tax code prohibits the staff of museums and archives from making such appraisals as they are considered interested parties. Therefore, it is the policy of the Lakeshore Museum Center that we cannot make appraisals, authentications, or provide an estimate of value.

Your donation may be tax deductible. Please consult with your tax preparer or the Internal Revenue Service concerning any such situation.