| FAQs |
| We appreciate your interest in helping us to preserve the history of computing. The following questions and answers give an overview of the Computer History Museum donation process. |
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| 1. What does the Museum look for in a donation? |
| 2. What does the Museum not look for in a donation? |
| 3. Why can't the Museum accept everything? Why weren't my items accepted by the Museum? |
| 4. What happens once I offer a donation to the Museum? |
| 5. How is ownership of my donation formally transferred to the Museum? |
| 6. How should I ship a donation to the Museum? |
| 7. Who pays for shipping a donation to the Museum? |
| 8. What recognition do donors receive? |
| 9. What about tax deductions? |
| 10. Can you tell me how much something I own is worth? |
| 11. Will you keep my donation forever? |
| 12. Where and when will you display my donation? |
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| 1. What does the Museum look for in a donation? |
| The Museum collects computer hardware, software, computer-related ephemera, audio recordings, photographs, moving images, and documents. Historical materials offered to the Museum are evaluated according to their significance to computing history and compared to what is already in the Museum's collection. We are particularly interested in items that are unique such as 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. If you have items to donate, please fill out our donation form. |
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| 2. What does the Museum not look for in a donation? |
| The Computer History Museum is not attempting to collect every computer or computer-related item ever made but instead collects representative samples of historic computer technology and software. The Museum already has most mass-produced items represented in the collection. You can search our collection to see if we already have the item that you wish to donate. You can also check the list of items the Museum is no longer collecting. |
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| 3. Why can't the Museum accept everything? Why weren't my items accepted by the Museum? |
| When an item is officially added to the Museum's collection we are committing to keep it in perpetuity and therefore must be discriminating about what is accepted. Because documenting, cataloguing, preserving and storing artifacts is very costly, CHM does not attempt to collect samples of every innovation and/or the products of every company. It is difficult for us to turn people away when they have taken the time to contact us about a particular item. Sadly, we must do this when the item in question is something the Museum already has or which does not meet our collecting criteria. Items offered to the Museum are evaluated according to their significance to computing history and compared to what is already in the Museum's collection. |
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| 4. What happens once I offer a donation to the Museum? |
| When you contact the Museum to offer something our team of curators compares the historical materials you are offering with the Museum's current holdings and decides how they may fit into the Museum's mandate to preserve and present the artifacts and stories of the information age. If the curators conclude that the historical materials should be added to the collection, the museum registrar then contacts you to let you know that they are being accepted into the Museum collection. This process usually takes one to two weeks depending on the amount of research that is required to make an informed decision. You can expedite this process by providing as many details as possible about the materials you are offering to donate. |
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| 5. How is ownership of my donation formally transferred to the Museum? |
| Donors sign a "deed of gift," legally transferring title of the object to the Museum. The Museum registrar will send you the deed of gift to sign after your donation arrives at the Museum. The deed of gift is irrevocable: once you have signed a deed of gift, you forfeit any and all future claims to the object(s) even if the item is later deaccesioned (see FAQ 11). The deed of gift can also be used as proof of donation for tax purposes. |
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| 6. How should I ship a donation to the Museum? |
| Please see our shipping instructions page for our shipping address and instructions. Note: All donations must be pre-approved before they are shipped to the Museum (see FAQ 4). |
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| 7. Who pays for shipping a donation to the Museum? |
| Unfortunately, the Museum cannot pay for shipping. We understand that some donors feel that paying for shipping is burdensome. We empathize with this viewpoint but are simply unable to absorb this cost. However, as the Museum is a registered non-profit corporation, these shipping expenses are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. |
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| 8. What recognition do donors receive? |
| When artifacts are exhibited, the names of donors are recognized in accordance with museum policy and practices; generally the phrase "Gift of ..." is used and you may specify how you wish this one phrase to read (within the limits of length and good taste). You may not place special conditions on the way the Museum displays or labels your donation. |
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| 9. What about tax deductions? |
| The Computer History Museum is a federally-registered non-profit corporation under section 501(c) 3 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. Registration # 77-0507525. Donations and shipping costs are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. The deed of gift, which donors 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. |
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| 10. Can you tell me how much something I own is worth? |
| 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. Further, in the interest of fairness, and because of the potential for abuse of the Museum's good offices (i.e. an endorsement from the Computer History Museum can significantly increase the value of an object), the Museum will not provide valuations of any object at any time for any purpose. You can contact your regional branch of the Appraisers Association of America, or the American Society of Appraisers directly to find an appraiser. Also, there are books available within specific subject domains (such as slide rules or electronic calculators) that describe market prices for such items. |
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| 11. Will you keep my donation forever? |
| Curators periodically assess the Museum's collection and may decide to remove ("deaccession") artifacts and other materials that no longer serve the Museum's mission. Materials may be deaccessioned because that type of technology is over-represented in the collection or because the artifact has physically deteriorated. Deaccessioning is not under-taken lightly; the Museum board of trustees must approve all objects recommended by the curators before any object may be removed from the collection. Materials that are removed from the collection are offered to other Museums; if another Museum cannot be found for the materials they are then sold at public auction and the proceeds used to care for the Museum’s collection. |
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| 12. Where and when will you display my donation? |
| With rare exceptions, we will not immediately display your donation. Your donation will be cataloged and stored until which time as we are mounting an exhibition related to the item(s) that you donate. In the meantime, your donation is accessible to researchers by appointment and to the public via our online catalog. The Computer History Museum is collecting objects today for display far into the future; your donation is not just for display, it is being preserved to educate and enlighten future generations. |
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