ROCKFORD ART MUSEUM | DONATING TO THE COLLECTION

Donating to the Collection

Maybe you have that old painting gathering dust in the basement, or your great aunt's wedding dress sitting in mothballs in the closet or, perhaps, there just isn't room for that ancient Mesopotamian vase anymore. Why not donate them to a museum?

Of the more than 1,500 pieces in the RAM permanent collection, more than 1,100 pieces are donations.

Making a donation can offer many benefits to the individual

To start, you will be contributing to the community welfare through providing for the museum's mission of cultural, historic and scientific preservation and education.
If you are concerned that your home may not be the safest place for an object's preservation, preservation of objects for future generations is one of a museum's priorities.
A donor line is included whenever the object is displayed or attributed. This normally reads "Gift of..," honoring those who help the institution grow.
Donations can be given as a memorial to loved ones. Whenever the object is displayed a credit line will read "Gift in
memory of..."
For a financial incentive, the IRS will allow for a tax deduction for donations of artwork to non-profit institutions. You can claim up to 30% of your gross adjusted income. A gift that exceeds that 30% mark can be rolled over for five years until the value of art object is used up. If the gift is over $500, an IRS form 8283 will need to be filled. If the gift is over $5,000, the art will need to be appraised and if the gift is over $20,000, a signed appraisal will need to be filed with the IRS form 8283. A downloadable PDF file that will explain donations in much more depth can be found at www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p561.pdf.

A few things before giving away your grandmother's antique vase

Not every object offered will be accepted into the collection. The curator will present the proposed gifts before a collection committee who will make a vote to accept or decline an offer. Rockford Art Museum has certain focus areas that give some direction to its collection. Over 90% of the collection falls into one of these areas of collection. Local artists and famous artists within areas are given first priority. Check the collection overview to see our major areas of collection.
The more information you can provide on the object and its maker the better.
Furthermore, certain objects require different or special care. Textiles and natural specimens are two of the most difficult types of collection object to care for and require that museums that collect these items purchase special equipment and have special knowledge for their preservation.
After you have made your donation, don't expect to go into the museum to see that object at any given time. As with most museums, Rockford Art Museum holds a collection that is much bigger than can be exhibited at any one time. Rockford Art Museum rotates its collection approximately every six months, so your donation will be on display for a period of time and for the remainder of the time it will be stored and preserved in the museum's collection vault.