Our collections are based on the generosity of many people. Some significant items are donated directly to the museum while others are purchased through funds from the Queensland Museum Foundation.
Object and specimen donations are vital and help us to make sure that our collection represents the diversity of stories that make Queensland distinctive, as well documenting the present for future generations.
To assess donations, we consider things like the history of an object and it’s links to Queensland, the places, people and events the object relates to, the condition it is in, and whether we have other similar objects already in our collection. For specimens, we consider if it represents an element of Queensland’s rich biodiversity not already represented in our collection.
Most importantly, we always explore the significance and relevance of an object or specimen to the heritage of Queensland.
Donation offers
We receive many donation proposals, and each are assessed individually by our curators. Depending on staff resources and expertise, assessment of a donation offer may take several weeks or sometimes longer. We will contact you within 10 days to acknowledge receipt of your offer and to provide an indicative timeframe for response.
If you have more questions about donation proposals, have a look at our FAQs below, or please contact us.