Donate an Object to the Ag Museum

Considering a Donation

If you have an object that you believe played a significant roll in South Dakota's agricultural history, what are the next steps?

1. Family Considerations

   • Be sure that no one in your family would like the items you are considering donating. It is better to keep heirlooms within the family and avoid any conflict that may arise from someone being unaware of the donation or intent to donate. Please discuss potential donations with your children, grandchildren, siblings, cousins or other people who have an interest in the items. If items are to come to the museum after your death, make a clear and direct statement to that effect in your will or estate dispersal instructions.

2. Contact Us

   • Contact the Agricultural Heritage Museum. 
   • Describe the object to the best of your ability — what it is, size, age, condition and history. 
   • It would be very helpful to have photographs of the object.

3. Acceptance

   • Acceptance into our collection is not guaranteed.
   • Please remember the museum has extremely limited storage space. The museum staff must be very selective in acquiring new artifacts. Prospective gifts are carefully evaluated to ensure that they fit the museum's mission.
   • We will ask you to complete a Temporary Custody form giving permission and instructions to the museum to accept, turn down or dispose of the potential donation. In addition, you will be asked to supply complete contact information for yourself or the donor’s legal representative.
   • If the museum accepts the donation, you will be sent a Deed of Gift form to sign and return to the museum. This document transfers all rights, copyrights and control of the items to the South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum.

South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum Collection Policy

from 2006 policy manual

Objects may be acquired for the museum through donation, bequest, purchase, exchange or other means by which the title passes to the South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum. All objects accepted for accession will be considered permanent additions to the museum’s collection to maintain in perpetuity as long as they retain their physical integrity, identity, authenticity and support the museum’s mission. Objects may be acquired for the museum when all of the following criteria are met:

• Donations are to be unconditional and unrestricted with no commitments or guarantees to exhibit, publish and maintain perpetual ownership, attribution or valuation by the museum. Exceptions must be specified and approved by the director.
• If possible, materials will be acquired with full literary rights, property rights, copyrights, patents or trademarks. The director must approve exceptions.
• The current owner must have clear title of ownership.
• Acquisition must conform to the museum’s mission.
• The museum must be able to provide proper care for the item(s).
• All moral, legal and ethical implications of the acquisition must be considered.
• All materials, if possible, are documented as to provenance.
• The items being acquired must pose no physical danger to the collection, staff, volunteer, visitors or the museum building.