This is a question regarding gift shops. We are in a stage of revamping 
our gift shop and the director, several board members and volunteers want 
to add antiques and other historic items to our inventory. It seems that 
we want to change the gift shop into an antique store similar to our 
city's historic shopping district. We are a history museum that tells the 
story of our community and we also have a historic house museum. All of 
our collection items are historic and "antique."

My question deals with some ethical issues. Is it proper for a history 
museum to sell historic objects in its gift shop? I thought that I had 
seen somewhere that reproductions were o.k. but not the genuine article. I 
know at a former museum that I worked, we sold Native American items but 
they were all reproductions. How would the public perceive that we are not 
selling off our collection objects?

Second, if I, the curator, pass on the object for inclusion into the 
museum's collection, is it then right for the director to request that the 
objects be donated for sale in the gift shop? Again, I think we are 
crossing an ethical line.

Any help that you all can give me would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

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