Donate Historical Materials

As part of its mission to preserve and present the stories of the information age, the Computer History Museum is currently developing the world-class signature exhibition, "Computer History: The First 2,000 Years." Opening in Fall 2010, the exhibition will showcase hundreds of unique artifacts from the Museum’s diverse collections.

During this period, collecting efforts will focus on artifacts specific to the exhibition (see list on previous tab). Should you offer to donate an artifact, we will respond within four weeks only if your item(s) fill an immediate exhibition need or represents a major gap in the collection. Generally, the Museum collects computer hardware, software, ephemera, audio recordings, photographs, moving images, and documents. We are particularly interested in prototypes, personal papers, rare machines produced in low-production runs, odd products which never made it to market, software source code, homemade items and original photographs.

The CHM is not attempting to collect every computer or computer-related item ever made and the collection already includes or represents most mass-produced items. Please search our collection for the item(s) you wish to donate. If they already exist within the Museum’s collection, your offer will automatically be declined. You can also check the list of items the Museum is no longer collecting.

Documenting, cataloguing, preserving and storing artifacts are very costly. Every Museum must be discriminating about what is accepted because each has a defined mission and limited resources. CHM does not attempt to collect samples of every innovation and/or the products of every company. Items are declined if they do not meet our collecting criteria, the Museum already owns duplicates or owns similar representations, or if condition is poor.

After submitting a donation via the online form, CHM's team of curators compares the Museum's current holdings and decides whether your materials may fit into the Museum's mission and current collecting strategy. If accepted for further review, a museum registrar then contacts you within four weeks to discuss shipping arrangements and paperwork requirements.

In order for a museum to incorporate new acquisitions into its artifact catalog, it must first have legal possession of that object. To complete the donation process, a CHM registrar will send two copies of a "Deed of Gift," the form that legally and irrevocably transfers ownership to the Museum. One copy is returned to the Museum, while the other is retained by the donor for his/her records. The Deed of Gift is the donor’s official gift receipt and may be used as proof of donation for tax purposes.

Shipping instructions will be provided once your donation offer has been fully vetted. The Museum does not accept unsolicited materials; please do not ship or drop-off materials without first submitting your offer via the online form

Unfortunately, the Museum cannot pay for shipping and we appreciate artifact donors' willingness to do so. As the Museum is a registered non-profit corporation, a donor’s shipping expenses are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law and CHM recommends that donors retain all receipts.

When artifacts are cataloged and exhibited, the names of donors are made public via the online catalog record or on the display label. In keeping with museum policy and practices, the phrase "Gift of ..." is used and a donor may specify how s/he wishes their name to be listed (within the limits of length and good taste). The Museum does not credit memorial or honorary artifact donations. Donors may not place special conditions on the way the Museum displays or labels your donation.

The Computer History Museum is a federally-registered non-profit corporation under section 501(c) 3 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, EIN 77-0507525. Donations and shipping costs are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. The Deed of Gift, which donors are required to sign to transfer ownership of the donation to the Museum, also serves as a tax receipt. The Museum advises you to seek the counsel of a tax professional.

No. The Museum is forbidden by federal law from providing any information on the value (real or perceived) of any object(s) donated or potentially donated to it. In the interest of fairness and because of the potential for abuse of the Museum's good offices, its staff, volunteers and all affiliates are strictly prohibited from providing valuations of any object at any time for any purpose. To locate an appraiser, consider contacting your regional branch of the Appraisers Association of America or the American Society of Appraisers directly. Also, there are books available within specific subject domains, such as slide rules or electronic calculators, that describe market prices.

Collections department staff periodically assess the CHM's collection and may elect to deaccession (remove) select artifacts. Criteria for deaccessioning includes materials that no longer serve the Museum's mission, duplicative holdings, or the artifact’s components have physically deteriorated with age and time. Deaccessioning requires approval by the Museum's board of trustees and is never undertaken lightly. Materials removed from the collection cannot be returned to donors, but may be transferred to other museums.

The Computer History Museum actively collects objects today for display far into the future. With rare exception, the CHM will not immediately display a donation and makes no guarantee that your donated artifact(s) will be displayed at any time. When the Museum develops an exhibition, curators review a list of artifact candidates and choose those items that best suit the exhibition’s theme and messages. However, all donations are cataloged and stored, and are accessible to the public via our online catalog and to researchers by appointment.