Donating a Collection to a Museum

 [ Reg Smith wrote in 151103 MMDigest:

> On the subject of donations of mechanical music instruments
> and machines to colleges and universities, my advice, born
> of experience, is DON'T!

Following through on Reg Smith's comments on how schools are not
equipped with the resources or desire to take over collections of
literature or musical pieces, sadly, most museums are in the same
category.

Donating your collections of items to a museum or historical society
will usually render the items stuck in storage (not necessarily
climate controlled) until the institution can sell them.  They may
occasionally see the limited display but, as stated, usually not
played or even recorded so people could hear what they sound like.

No matter where you donate your collection of anything, you have
_absolutely_ no control over its future.  Selling some pieces
occasionally or even gifting them to aspiring collectors will keep
the pieces in the hands of people who truly enjoy them and who will,
hopefully, share them with others.

If you can't bear to part with anything until you die, you can always
will certain pieces to go to certain people who you know will enjoy
them.  Keeping the musical items circulating is the best way to have
more people be made aware of them.

Reg's 2 cents + my 2 cents,

Nancy Fratti - Nancy Fratti Music Boxes
Canastota, New York, USA
http://www.nancyfrattimusicboxes.com/ 

 [ More at http://www.mmdigest.com/archives/KWIC/D/donating.html 
 [ -- Robbie