Plans for your collection once you're......ummm...Dead !

[Abyss]

For me, I'm thinking about giving it all to a local museum, it's a small town museum which what I have would fit right in with what they have going on.

And have a feeling they would gladly accept, though have not talked to them yet.

 

For me if I donate to a museum, it'll be a rental agreement, they can have them forever.

But at any point in time they decide to remove a item/sell it - those in my will should be notified before its sold & get the money from it if sold.Or choose to have the item vs it being sold.

 

For those that have talked to museums, is there any advice about anything that needs to be addressed ?

 

 

[caldigger]

54 minutes ago, Abyss said:

Well its Saturday & I'm a little late, though what do you have ? 

Oh darn, all sold out!

I just threw things in containers and sold as

"Buck a Box", the sale didn't last too long. But now I'm $10 richer! 

[FranzBernhard]

21 hours ago, Abyss said:

For me, I'm thinking about giving it all to a local museum, it's a small town museum which what I have would fit right in with what they have going on.

And have a feeling they would gladly accept, though have not talked to them yet.

Please check this out! Not all museums accept large collections (how many specimens to you have?). Often they simply don´t have the necessary resources to handle such donations properly. Chances are high that your donation is stored unopened indefinitely.

 

21 hours ago, Abyss said:

For me if I donate to a museum, it'll be a rental agreement, they can have them forever.

But at any point in time they decide to remove a item/sell it - those in my will should be notified before its sold & get the money from it if sold.Or choose to have the item vs it being sold.

This puts a large burden on the museum. If they want to make money out of them - they should do it. Its for their benefit and the specimens are still not discarded into a landfill.

Franz Bernhard

[Abyss]

18 hours ago, FranzBernhard said:

Please check this out! Not all museums accept large collections (how many specimens to you have?). Often they simply don´t have the necessary resources to handle such donations properly. Chances are high that your donation is stored unopened indefinitely.

 

This puts a large burden on the museum. If they want to make money out of them - they should to it. Its for their benefit and the specimens are still dicarded into a landfill.

Franz Bernhard

To not show them would be a shame, which would surpass & expand upon what they have.

To note this museum is built & funded upon 1 guy for his passion ! Only towards the end & his death did the city realize they need to keep this museum open for all to see, & they bought it all.

 

It's more of a Rock & Mineral museum with Fossil's as the second guest. Sweet fluorescent rock display !

 

As for making money out of them.....well display them & ticket sales will do, though selling them off is not part of the plan nor should ever be at a museum !

 

Pics are from a phone camera.

 

 

[Bev]

Excellent topic, @minnbuckeye! 

 

I've been working on my will and other final preps including genealogy so that any descendants who want to know about me will have more than census data and what pictures have survived.

 

I have a few select fossils, like Waldo (an Anatapherus Boreaus trilobite - can't remember the spellings off hand, getting old) who I have made specific mention of where he should go. Locally, no schools or museums want them as Ordovician fossils are so common here. Forestville State Park has a nice fossil exhibit and may appreciate a few of the pieces.

 

I really don't care for selling either as their presence means more to me than the $1-$20 each one would bring.

 

Hmmmm... Thank you Mike for bringing this up! And if you should find a non-profit who is interested, let me know for donating.  :-)

[hadrosauridae]

Nothing I own or will likely ever own is of any interest to a museum.  I expect my son might want some.  Hopefully the rest could go to a local school for education.

[jerseygurl]

Hmmm. My husband and kids asked of if the  last fossil I brought home was poop. I did say no, but I do have some in the cabinet if they would like to see.  Their expression was a clear @no thanks” and so I guess they are out! I don’t have anything of value but I do have a niece who likes to see what I find and comes to local NJ brooks with me when she can.  I’ll give her first pick.

 

i like this question. I have a good amount of artwork that I have created over the years. I hope that when I go and it has to go - it will find its way to someone who will enjoy it.

 

[Can'tGetRight]

Funny, we haven't been long ago had this discussion. I'm thinking of having someone float down the Meherrin and jus dump them

back into the river (from where they came) I might even go ahead and pick a spot so I  can do a "cryptic rhyme" that needs to be

solved. Or a treasure map even, "X" marks the spot kinda thing. It could be a decent little cashe from some unexpecting fossil hunter.

Craig