>Date: Sun, 1 Dec 1996 08:06:49 -0600 From: Jones <[log in to unmask]> Subject: loans from businesses >A question has come up at our museum (which has just >opened) and I was wondering if anyone on the list might >have had to address the same situation. >We have several business in our town that sell antiques - >some that relate very well to local history. Is is >considered acceptable for those businesses to loan us items >for display for a period of time and then take the items >back and put them up for sale in their respective stores? >Since we are a new museum, we could use some addition items >for the displays we have, but wonder if doing this might >cause problems??" It seems to me that you can borrow artifacts from any owner if they meet the needs and mission of your museum. The only danger I see in the course you describe is that the shops might use the museum to inflate the value of the piece by saying "It was on exhibit at X museum." We have borrowed specific pieces from antique dealers when they were needed in exhibits, but we don't make a regular practice out of it. I'll be interested to see if others have the same reaction. Chris Dill - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - C. L. Dill, Museum Director State Historical Society of North Dakota 612 East Boulevard Bismarck ND 58505-0830 P: (701)328-2666 F: (701)328-3710 E: [log in to unmask] Visit our Web site at: http://www.state.nd.us/hist/ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -