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.

This is probably the best you can do at this point, and as for signing it,
why not have a clause on your deed of gift form that says that the donor
understands that they are giving the object on an unrestricted basis
("permanently exhibited" being a restriction!).

What I have found works well is to explain that if they want their object to
last, exhibiting it all the time is not the way to preserve it.   This is
not a current problem (we don't have a collection), but in other museums I
have worked for we have made a big deal of conservation issues, and they are
just technical enough to inspire respect if not total understanding.


Julia Moore
Indianapolis Art Center

(I'm chatty tonight because I'm on vacation!!!)