What does Historic Beverly Collect?
Historic Beverly seeks to acquire objects, images, and documents connected to Beverly history that have strong potential for meaningful future use in exhibitions, programs, and for research; that fill gaps in our existing holdings; and that present opportunities to reveal or expand upon a compelling and significant story or theme of Beverly history. Historic Beverly collects from all time periods and welcomes donations of artifacts, documents, prints, photographs and other items of material culture to its collections. These donations help us document and interpret Beverly’s rich history.
Historic Beverly evaluates potential donations based on the following guidelines
- Is the object useful to the mission and collecting priorities of Historic Beverly?
- Does the object have aesthetic merit, possess potential for research and scholarship or have other historical or cultural significance?
- Is the object useful for exhibition purposes?
- Can the object be properly conserved, stored, protected and preserved within the resources of Historic Beverly?
- Does the object have free and clear title?
- Can the authenticity and provenance of the object be proven/documented?
- Does the donor hold copyright for the object that can be transferred to Historic Beverly?
Historic Beverly collects material for its historical value. Historic Beverly is a non-profit institution and donors can claim a tax deduction on gifts to Historic Beverly based on a financial appraisal of the donation. Historic Beverly does not provide appraisals for any reason because the Internal Revenue Service regards museums and libraries as interested parties. However, professional appraisers do perform this service for a fee. To find a licensed appraiser in your area, contact the American Society of Appraisers, the International Society of Appraisers, or the Appraisers Association of America for a referral. The owner of the material must pay the cost of obtaining an outside appraisal, but the cost of the appraisal is also tax-deductible. Historic Beverly recommends that donors check with an attorney or financial advisor about any and all tax implications.
To donate objects to the collection please contact Abby Battis, Associate Director for Collections by calling (978) 922-1186 ext. 203 or email: abattis@beverlyhistory.org