Museum policies (was: Yo)

Something seems seriously wrong here. If a museum ever gets into a situation like this, they have made a serious error. When an artifact (or anything else, for that matter) is to be donated to a museum, a contract is drawn up and signed by both parties. The museums use a very standardized contract to protect themselves, as many people use museums for personal gain. Like any contract, both parties must agree or nothing happens. Museums will _almost_always_ insist on a contract that lets them do whatever they want with the all or part of the new material - including storage, display, preservation and restoration, trade, sale, and destruction. If they can not get this right, nearly all will simply not accept the donation. This also applies to things willed to them - they need not take them if backed into a corner. I think you may be confusing the issue of selling and trading items that are not part of the museum trust - basically items on temporary or indefinite loan (there really is no "permanent loan"). For example, when the ship restoration people go into the reserve fleet to pull off fittings and equipment for museum ships going thru restoration, the items _can_not_ be sold or destroyed. This is because the items are still government property, even though the Navy doesn't want the stuff! The stuff can be traded, but only for items in the same category from other museums. I can not think of any situation where computer equipment would fall into this category, unless the equipment is crypto related. Also, keep in mind the point of accepting willed donations. Think of the tripping points a museum would have with these transactions. Museums generally do not have the resources to change the terms of wills, so if lots come along, generally they must take all or nothing (unless the term does give the right of first refusal). They _must_ have the right to refuse donations. If this was not the case, museums would be helpless and the power would be abused by anyone trying to get the junk out of an estate. They would have to take stuff that wasn't even worth taking to a flea market or the Goodwill store. Additionally, they would be forced to take things in huge quantities that would quickly swamp their systems. For example, I have in my shop a number of radio boxes for Martin B-10/B-12 bombers - great museum pieces, but does any museum need twenty of the darn things (I certainly don't - anyone want to buy one or more from me)? Of course not, and if I died tomorrow the recipient museum might only take one or two to satisfy their needs. If the museum was forced to take all and keep them - well, hell, I could "donate" all of my scrap metal and half parted and stripped sets, too. Just keep in mind that in museums, the artifacts are far safer than in private hands. Some museums have poor storage facilities (RCS/RI needs an upgrade - anyone want to donate money or shelving units?), but even the worst that a museum has to offer is far better than what many private collectors do (is that a can of Coke on your PDP-11? Shame if it spilled inside...). Don't damn the museums. Most have to store many items simply because of a lack of manpower and money to preserve and restore them. The simple solution is to ask the museums if _you_ can donate time and resources. Yes, this is a somewhat open invitation - RCS/RI has about 100 waiting projects for every one being worked on, and the ratio is growing. For those located near Providence, RI, come to an open house (3rd Saturday of every month) and see what there is to do. William Donzelli aw288(a)osfn.org