Read below to learn about the donation process, and then fill out the Object Donation Form.

Please DO NOT bring unsolicited objects to the museum or send unsolicited object donations through the mail.

Potential donations will go before the Collections Committee, who will review the object and make a final decision on whether or not the object is within the parameters of our Collections Policy.

The Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park cannot accept donations that currently have restrictions on their use.

If The Object Is Accepted

If the Collections Committee approves the donation, staff will reach out to arrange delivery or dropoff of the object. You will be provided with a Temporary Custody Form, which is a receipt that designates the object has been handed over to the Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park. This is not the final paperwork, and does not signify the transfer of legal ownership.

Staff will then complete the acquisition process for the object, and you will receive two copies of a Deed of Gift. Please sign one, and return it to our museum, the second copy you keep for your records. This signifies the legal transfer of ownership of the object to the Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park.

The Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park cannot guarantee that a donated object will be put on exhibition.

If The Object is Not Accepted

Not every object will meet the criteria for our collection. In this event, we will decline the offer and, where possible, suggest an alternative institution. The object will then be returned to the donor.

Please note that we cannot forward objects to a separate institution.

The Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park is prohibited from performing or offering object appraisals.