I'm glad this subject came up. What's the legal situation with U.S. military stuff that former servicemen have kept since thier discharge? Do they own it, legally, or is it still owned by the government? Is there a statute of limitations? I'm not talking about tanks or jet engines--more like flight jackets, flare guns, headsets, survival kits, or junked equipment "found in the trash."

What about war trophies? (If a pilot retrieves the altimeter from an enemy airplane he shot down, does he have title to it?)

Since ethical museums are careful about provenance, can they accept such items from the veterans who "liberated" them? Can a museum get in any trouble if things like that find their way into the collections? Can the museum cover its (figurative) backside by requiring donors to state that they legally own what they intend to donate? Are potential donors frightened away by having to make such an assertion?

I'm sure many on the list have dealt with these situations. How did it work?



Chuck Stout
Exhibits Design and Development
Denver Museum of Nature and Science
(Formerly Denver Museum of Natural History)
303-370-8364
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