How do I donate an object to the UFDC Museum?

Please send a letter or e-mail telling us about your object and it will help speed the process if you enclose photos or digital images. Please provide a description, including materials, date of manufacture and/or collection, dimensions, and any additional information about the provenance (previous history, treatments, restorations, appraisals, etc.) that you have.

Unsolicited items that arrive at UFDC Headquarters may not be accepted.

This information can be sent to:

United Federation of Doll Clubs, Inc.
Suzanne McGinn
10900 N Pomona Avenue
Kansas City, Missouri
ufdcsuzanne@ufdc.org

How long before I learn whether the Museum wants to acquire my object?

The most time-consuming portion of the acquisition process is gathering information from the donor. We may have to contact you several times before we have enough information for your object to be considered by the Collections Oversight Committee. Sometimes additional research into legal issues or consultation with outside curatorial experts is necessary, as well. Once we have all of this information, your offer will be considered at a monthly meeting of our Collections Oversight Committee. After the Committee’s recommendation has been over sighted by the ReAL Service Director, we will contact you with a formal reply.

How does the Museum decide which objects to accept for the collection?

The UFDC Museum has a formal decision-making procedure. Briefly, the object is assessed based on museum standards (relevance to collection, condition, duplication/similarity, etc.). These findings are discussed at a monthly Collections Oversight Committee meeting. A recommendation is then made to the ReAL Services Director who, acting for the Committee presents it to the Executive Committee for final approval. UFDC does not accept conditional donations, including but not limited to requiring exhibition, display stipulations, limitations on loans or publication, and/or limiting access.

Can I send my object to the Museum now?

Please do not send unsolicited objects to the museum. We will contact you at an appropriate time to arrange shipping to the museum. Unsolicited items are not the responsibility of UFDC and we do not guarantee their fate.

How is ownership transferred?

The legal mechanism for acquiring an object differs from case to case, depending on how the object is offered.

With a gift, the donor is provided with a copy of our Deed of Gift (DOG) which should be signed by the donor and sent to UFDC with the donated item(s). Once we receive the DOG, an official UFDC representative signs it and a copy is sent back to the donor.

With a sale, the object becomes the property of the UFDC Museum once final payment is made. Payment will not be authorized until the UFDC Museum receives the object in good condition.

Do you want the intellectual property rights, too?

The UFDC Museum asks that all intellectual property rights that exist in the object be donated to the UFDC Museum along with title to the object. This enables us to best utilize the object to fulfill UFDC’s mission. This is crucial for following internationally recognized museum best practices.

I will make a gift only if I can set certain conditions for my object. Are you still interested?

Our practice and policy is to not accept conditional gifts. Conditions are not in line with modern museum practices, may not reflect our constituencies’ expectations and needs, and are at odds with organizations guidelines. According to the Best Museum Practices established by the American Alliance of Museums, the American Association for State and Local History, and the International Council of Museums, professional museums should never accept conditional artifact donations. In fact, it is against state laws in some areas.

Can you appraise my donation?

No, Federal law prevents the museum from providing identification services or appraisal values for donated items. Donors are responsible for obtaining appraisals. You are encouraged to seek tax advice on any donation valued at $5000 or above. Please contact the regional branch of the Appraisers Association of America, the American Society of Appraisers, or the International Society of Appraisers directly. The museum is in no way affiliated with these organizations.

How can I make a contribution to support the cost of caring for my object?

Collections stewardship requires considerable resources of space, materials, and personnel. We are very grateful to donors who understand this “big picture” and contribute funds to support the preservation and accessibility of collections. To make such a gift, please contact us at ufdc.org or call Sheryl Sunderman at 816.891.7040.