I am suffering from a small string of failures with donors over the issue
of permanent exhibition of the gift.  The most recent centers around a
gift transmitted to the museum by the brother of the actual donor, who
had been deputized to negotiate on donor's behalf.  We talked about a lot
of things before we left with the object, but the issue of exhibition
never came up.  I find out now (a year later) that both the donor and his
brother expected the object to be permanently exhibited in our museum.

I told the brother (still my only link to the donor) that no professionally-
managed museum promises a donor permanent exhibition.  And our gift
agreement, which the donor signed, states quite baldly that the gift is
absolute and irrevocable.  I am developing a brochure that explains to
prospective donors what our museum collects, why we collect, and what will
happen to their donation once they sign the form.  I have also toyed with
the idea of having the prospective donor sign a form that says they have
read, and understood, what was in the brochure.  Will this work?

Although I take personal responsibility for the failures I have suffered,
I cannot help but wonder if it is not part of a larger museum-wide problem.
Most members of the public who do not work in museums or know intimately
someone who does have no idea what we do or why.  When they walk into a
museum, they see the exhibits.  They then assume that this is all the
museum has in its collection, and if they donate something, it, too, will
be permanently enshrined.

I have felt for a long time that we do a poor job at best explaining
ourselves.  When national museum day comes around next year, couldn't we
do something more?  I have found that when prospective donors visit our
facility, take a tour (including storage) and talk with me at length, we
have no problem understanding each other.  Unfortunately, that does not
occur with all donations.

While behind-the-scenes tours are not practical on a regular basis--at least
for the institutions with which I am familiar, couldn't someboy develop
a series of PSAs that might better explain the museum biz?

We talk to ourselves a lot.  How much do we talk to the public?

Any thoughts?

Claudia

Claudia Nicholson
Curator of Collections
South Dakota State Historical Society, Pierre

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