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Donate an Object

How do I donate an object to The Mariners’ Museum?

The Mariners’ Museum is a collecting institution. We rely on the generous donation of artifacts from public and private sources as a way of expanding or filling gaps in our Collection.

When contacting the Museum, please include a full description of your object, its history, and several detailed photographs.

Bronze statuary bust of John Paul Jones.

Object or artwork donation

Please contact:
Collections Department
(757) 591-7760
[email protected]

By letter:
Collections, The Mariners’ Museum and Park
100 Museum Drive, Newport News, VA 23606 

Open book of maps from the Library.

Library or archival donation

Please contact:
Library and Archives
(757) 591-7782
[email protected]

By letter:
Library, The Mariners’ Museum and Park
100 Museum Drive, Newport News, VA 23606

After we receive your initial inquiry, you will be contacted by a staff member who will gather additional information about the object and present your donation to the Museum’s Collections Committee. The Collections Committee is the Museum body responsible for the oversight of the Collection and comprises staff from several different departments. The committee meets monthly and will evaluate your object and determine whether to accept it into the Museum’s Collection.

When will my donated object be displayed?

Unfortunately, the Museum cannot guarantee that a donated object will be placed on display and cannot acquire objects with restrictions regarding usage and display.

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