Interested in donating an artifact?

We regularly consider new donations of artifacts to help us tell stories of local people, places, and events. Our collection contains a wide variety of items connected to Porter County, Indiana.

If you would like to donate an artifact:

• Complete the form (below) with a description of the artifact (or artifacts) you would like to donate.

• Make an appointment by email at info@pocomuse.org or by phone at (219) 510.1836 to bring your artifact to the PoCo Muse (20 Indiana Avenue, Valparaiso, IN 46383). A staff member will assess whether your object is a good fit for our collection.

• Do you have interesting photographs or letters that you’re not quite ready to part with? Consider making a digital donation! We will make free high-resolution scans and return the original documents to you.

  Please note that transportation of donated artifacts to the museum is the responsibility of the donor. We are not able to pick up donations.

The process of filling out a deed of gift takes only a few minutes, but we love to document any stories connected to your donation.

Please note that transportation of donated artifacts to the museum is the responsibility of the donor. We are not able to pick up donations.

Digital Donations

Do you have interesting photographs, letters, or ephemera that you’re not quite ready to part with the originals?

Consider making a digital donation! We will make free high-resolution scans and return the original documents to you.

Artifact Donation Checklist

Thank you for thinking of us as a new home for your artifact. It is important to understand how we accept and record donations, so you are comfortable with the process from start to finish. This checklist is a helpful way to learn the basics of making a donation.

Please know we will not accept every artifact offered for donation.

Only artifacts that meet the criteria of our collections policy will be accepted. Your artifact should be museum quality, safe to handle, and have historical value, free and clear title, and a connection to Porter County. Great stories and accurate provenance are preferred. We reserve the right to keep, lend, or dispose of items in our collection.

Your artifact might not be on display when you visit the PoCo Muse.

Staff manages thousands of artifacts that rotate regularly, so there is a chance your artifact won’t be on exhibit. This does not mean your artifact is any less important to us.

We do not appraise artifacts.

If you are seeking a tax deduction, you will need to submit a third-party appraisal to the appropriate taxing agency. We will provide you with a copy of this paperwork to indicate your gift has been made to a registered tax-exempt organization (EIN 27-2884194).

Be sure to fill out this form completely.

Remember that our acceptance of your artifact means we will accrue cataloging, storage, exhibition, and preservation costs. We take this responsibility very seriously and hope you will become a donor to further support our work.