Hello, Museum List,

As I conclude my internship and clean out my inbox, I realize that I haven't
yet recorded the responses to my months-ago query regarding paying for
photographs from foreign museums/organizations.

Museum-Listers sent me some great ideas, and I'll be saving them for future
reference--what I gather is that it varies from institution to institution,
and there's no Best Way to do this.

I especially thank Museum-L reader S.F. in the Rhineland, who telephoned the
troublesome German publishing house and determined that they do not,
unfortunately, accept credit cards and that wire transfers are preferred.
(I did end up going the route of sending an expensive US$-to-Euros wire
transfer, and promptly received some beautiful slides and color
reproductions.  Unfortunately, they were too late for my conference; if only
I'd just sprung for the wire transfer immediately!)

I received a few private requests from others who were wondering the same
thing, so I'll list the ideas I've gathered here for brainstorming purposes:

--The Worcester Art Museum asks that those in foreign countries requesting
photos either wire the payment to a bank account in US dollars, or send a
check/draft in US dollars.

--My university advisor and another art history scholar with whom I chatted
at the conference tend to do  the following:  1.  Save any leftover currency
you accumulated when you traveled in the country, and just send it as cash.
2.  Send a personal check and hope for the best.

--This has worked for someone who had a contact in the Czech Republic:  He
sends a check in US dollars drawn on his bank, and his contact's bank
figures out the exchange in the appropriate currency.

--A museum director at another museum notes that personal checks have worked
for German institutions as well.  However, the Rhenish Museum-L reader
mentioned problems cashing US checks at German banks; there can be a fee.

--See if the museum/organization accepts credit cards (O, how I wish! :-)).


--"International Money Orders" in U.S. funds can apparently be cashed
anywhere; e-bay users who've made international purchases have used these.
They should be available at large commercial banks and possibly the US
Postal Service-I'm not sure.  I suspect there'd be a small fee at the bank
for cashing these.

--A reader in Canada recommends postal money orders, after having had bad
luck sending personal checks in foreign (to the recipient) funds.  Postal
money orders are cheap and carry insurance.

--Try sending traveler's checks (recommended by a Colombian living in the
US).  I expect there'd be a small fee at the bank or cambio/exchange for
cashing these, too, but it could work well.

--If you can't send a wire to the institution, you may have to get a draft
in foreign funds from your bank (which can be just as expensive as a wire,
unfortunately; anywhere from $25 to $40 from what I've seen).

So, basically, with all our modern technology and global connectedness,
there's still no One Good Way to do this. :-)

Sarah E. Cloud
Worcester Art Museum Curatorial Intern
[log in to unmask]
508-799-4406 Ex. 3027

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