Leave a bequest
After making provisions for your family and other beneficiaries, a gift in your will (bequest) is an extraordinary act of generosity, ensuring Queensland’s stories can live on long into the future.
Whether you visit our museums often, have a passion for knowledge and discovery, or simply believe in the value of public museums remaining accessible to all Queenslanders, a gift in your will can help preserve and enhance Queensland’s collections for generations to come. Gifts of all sizes make a difference.
How to leave a bequest to Queensland Museum
We strongly recommend you seek independent professional advice to ensure your will is legally valid and reflects your wishes. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your plans before you commit them to a will to ensure we can meet your wishes in future—please contact the Foundation team for a confidential conversation without obligation.
Frequently asked questions
For many people, a bequest is the most powerful philanthropic contribution they will ever make and requires careful consideration. Some frequently asked questions are below.
All gifts, no matter the size, make a significant impact, helping to ensure our remarkable objects and their stories live on to delight, inspire and inform people for generations to come.
A residuary gift is the gift of the remainder of your estate, or a share in the remainder, once your loved ones have been taken care of. Residuary gifts will not lose value over time.
A pecuniary gift is the gift of a fixed sum of money. The value of pecuniary legacies will decrease over time, as costs of living rise.
A specific asset is the gift of a particular asset, such as real estate or shares, or an object – more information about leaving specific objects can be found below.
Suggested wording for a simple unrestricted gift in a will to the Foundation:
I give devise and bequeath [% of my estate / $x / the rest and residue of my estate] to the Queensland Museum Foundation for the use and benefit of the Foundation at its absolute discretion and I direct that a receipt from the Trustees of the Foundation shall be sufficient discharge to my executor.
When making or updating your will, we strongly recommend you seek independent professional advice to ensure your will is legally valid and reflects your wishes.
If you are interested in donating a specific object to Queensland Museum in your lifetime you can find out more about donating to the collection.
If you wish to leave a specific object in your will, we welcome the opportunity to discuss your plans with you in advance, to ensure we can meet your wishes in future.
An unrestricted monetary bequest is always most helpful as it allows Queensland Museum to direct the funds wherever they’re most needed at the time. If you are considering restricting your bequest to a particular museum in our network or a specific purpose, or you are considering leaving a specific object to our collections, we welcome the opportunity to discuss your plans with you in advance, to ensure we can meet your wishes in future.
Thank you for choosing to support Queensland Museum. Please consider getting in touch to let us know—this allows us to thank you and share the impact your gift will make. Informing us of a gift in your will is non-binding and you are free to change your intentions at any stage in the future.
You might be interested in
Become a member, join our team or support us by donating, providing a cultural gift or bequest, or through a corporate partnership.
Discover more about ways to support Queensland Museum.
Get in touch with the Queensland Museum Foundation for more information on donating, becoming a partner or making a bequest.