Joann,

I see you haven't gotten any other replies to your query, and this looks
like a question needful of being answered.

First, though, I'm a little confused.  You mention a "museum board".  Is
that an entity under the jurisdiction of the School Board or is it part
of the museum management entity?  If the school district owns the
collection, only the School Board can make decision about what happens
to the collection.

Second, what is the formal relationship between the group that manages
the collection and the School District?  Is there a formal agreement,
and if so does it have any stated mission or purpose statement for use
of the collection?

Does the entity that is operating the museum have 501(c)(3) status as a
non-profit?  If they hope to acquire the collection, they will need to
have that.

It sounds like this is not unlike museum collections that are owned by
Colleges and Universities, and the same problem has come up in that
arena. Whoever it is that wants to sell the collection, public pressure
might work to get them to agree to transfer ownership to a non-profit
museum, so it can continue to benefit the children of the area (which,
I'm presuming, in some form or other was the rationale for having the
collection and museum in the first place.)

Good luck, and let us know what happens.

Lucy Sperlin




Joann Lindstrom wrote:
>
> Dear Colleagues:
>
> I am working for a museum that is attempting to gain ownership of a fabulous
> collection of international cultural objects that are owned by the local
> school district. A hometown young man collected objects during his travels
> during the 1920s-30s and returned to open a small "museum" within the school
> in the late 1930s. Upon his death, he willed the objects to the school
> district.
>
> In the 1980s, a group formed to professionally manage the collection and
> museum and is doing a fine job. We are now attempting to transfer ownership
> to the museum proper, under the threat of the museum board selling the
> collection. We do not believe they are legally allowed to do so, but I'm
> just wondering...
>
> have any of you encountered such a situation?
>
> Joann Lindstrom
> Museum Consultant
> Candor, NY

=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:

The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).

If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).