DONATING TO THE COLLECTION
The Heritage Center at Red Cloud Indian School often receives donations to the world-renowned collection it has on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. We have developed this list of frequently asked questions about donating objects to The Heritage Center. For more information, please contact Mary Bordeaux, curator, at 605/867-1105 ext. 221 or mbordeaux@redcloudschool.org.
How do I offer an object to the The Heritage Center?
Please send a letter or email telling us about your object and whether you are offering it as a gift, for sale, or as a bequest. It will help us greatly if you can enclose photos or digital images. Please provide a description, including materials, date of manufacture and/or collection, and dimensions; verifiable record of authenticity and provenance (history of ownership); and information about any prior treatments with preservative chemicals, such as moth balls or insecticides. If the object incorporates any fish and wildlife components, please include information about permits or other documentation demonstrating that the object was collected, transported, exported, imported, acquired, transferred, and possessed in compliance with all United States and foreign laws. This information can be sent to:
The Heritage Center
Attn: Mary Bordeaux, Curator
100 Mission Drive
Pine Ridge, South Dakota 57770
605/867-5491 ext. 221
mbordeaux@redcloudschool.org
How long before I learn whether The Heritage Center wants to acquire my object?
Usually, the most time-consuming portion of the acquisition process is gathering information from the donor. We may have to contact you several times before we have enough information for your object to be considered by the Acquisitions Advisory Committee. Sometimes additional research into legal issues or consultation with outside curatorial experts is necessary, as well. Our Acquisitions Advisory Committee meets four (4) times a year (we do not meet in the summer months) and once we have all of this information, your offer will be considered at one of the quarterly meetings of our Acquisitions Advisory Committee. After the Committee’s recommendation has been reviewed by the Director, we will contact you with a formal reply.
How does The Heritage Center decide which objects to accept for the collection?
The Heritage Center has a formal decision-making procedure. Briefly, museum specialists will assess the object on the basis of various criteria and discuss their findings at a quarterly Acquisitions Advisory Committee meeting. A recommendation is then made to the Director, who makes the final decision.
Can I send my object to The Heritage Center now?
Please do not send unsolicited objects to The Heritage Center. We will contact you at an appropriate time to arrange shipping to The Heritage Center.
How is ownership transferred?
The legal mechanism for acquiring an object differs from case to case, depending on how the object is offered.
With a gift, as soon as The Heritage Center has decided to accept the donor’s offer, the donor will be provided with two copies of our Deed of Gift for signature. One of these Deeds is to be returned to us; the other is to be kept for the donor’s own records. Arrangements will also be made for the object to arrive at The Heritage Center, if this has not occurred previously. When The Heritage Center receives the completed Deed of Gift and the object is in our physical custody, the gift is completed.
With a sale, the object becomes the property of the The Heritage Center once final payment is made. Payment will not be authorized until The Heritage Center receives the object in acceptable condition.
Do you want the intellectual property rights, too?
The Heritage Center asks that all intellectual property rights that exist in the object be donated to The Heritage Center along with title to the object. This enables us to sell images, publish images on the web and in hard copy, and license reproduction for commercial purposes. This is a crucial element in The Heritage Center’s best management practices. While The Heritage Center would not automatically decline an object without simultaneous transfer of full intellectual property rights, withholding of intellectual property rights by the potential donor would weigh heavily against our acceptance.
I will make a gift only if I can set certain conditions for my object. Are you still interested?
Our practice and policy is to not accept gifts that come with "strings attached." Conditions are often not in line with modern museum practices, may not reflect our constituencies’ expectations and needs. Many museums now find themselves devoting resources trying to adhere to or resolve legacy issues, and we certainly do not wish to create similar problems for our successors.
Can you appraise my donation?
Federal law prevents Museums from providing identification services or appraisal values for donated items. Donors are responsible for appraisals of value. Please contact the regional branch of the Appraisers Association of America or the American Society of Appraisers directly. The Heritage Center is in no way affiliated with these organizations.
How can I make a contribution to support the cost of caring for my object?
Collections stewardship requires considerable resources of space, materials, and personnel. We are very grateful to donors who understand this “big picture” and contribute funds to support the preservation and accessibility of collections. Please contact the Director to discuss the matter in more detail at:
Peter Strong, Director
The Heritage Center
Red Cloud Indian School
100 Mission Drive
Pine Ridge, South Dakota 57770
605/867-5491 ext. 217
pstrong@redcloudschool.org
It’s New Year’s Eve! Can I offer to donate an object today and get a tax deduction for this year?
Unfortunately, no. The Heritage Center has only four Acquisition Committee meetings a year and for year-end donations, all information must be received and on file no later than October 1.
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