Collection Policy

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The History Center collects material relating to Olmsted County.  These materials can serve multiple purposes, including a museum exhibition or as part of educational programming.  It is our duty to preserve the past through correct and ethical stewardship of the objects.  Once an artifact is gone, it is gone forever.

We accept artifacts that tell stories about the people, places, and institutions that made Olmsted County what it is today.  Do you have an item you would like to donate?  What story does it tell us?  How is this story important to Olmsted County?

The History Center follows this process for donated items:

• An item is brought in to the History Center for donation.  A staff member or volunteer has the option of accepting the item.
• The Temporary Custody Form is signed.
• After the item is catalogued, the Curator or Archivist sends the donor a Thank You Letter and a Deed of Gift.
• The donor must sign and return the Deed of Gift within thirty (30) days.
• The item is brought before the Collections Committee.  The curator or archivist has the choice of recommending the item for accession.  The Collections Committee either approves or disapproves the recommendation.
• The item becomes part of the collections of the History Center of Olmsted County.

For more details on our collections policy, click here.

The History Center does not accept natural history specimens.