Donating to Wellington Museum
All proposed donations go through an approval process – we cannot accept all items offered to us, although we appreciate the generosity of potential donors.
To offer an object or taonga to Wellington Museum, contact us first at collection@experiencewellington.org.nz. Our curatorial or collections staff will then get in touch with you. Please do not bring objects or taonga to Wellington Museum without contacting us first.
Read more about our collections policy.
What happens to approved donations?
Any item accepted into the Wellington Museum collection will be looked after with the highest standards of professional care in conservation, storage, and security.
Change of ownership – the donation is made, in law, part of the Museum’s collection.
Donor consultation – we take account of cultural sensitivities and determine appropriate ways to handle and store or display donations.
Documentation and conservation – the donation is recorded in detail by collection staff and, if necessary, conserved to protect it from deterioration.
Storage or display – the donation is allocated secure and appropriate storage or is placed on display.
Very few items in the Museum’s collections are on permanent display. We can only show a small proportion of our collections at a time, in keeping with our exhibition programme. Also, for preservation, some items can only be displayed for short periods.