Want to donate to STEAM’s Collection? Here’s how.
If you have an object, photograph or archive item of historical interest, which relates to the history of the GWR or British Rail (Western Region), and would like to donate it to the Museum then please contact us by e-mail or letter.
STEAM has established a set of guidelines relating to items brought in for donation. These are designed to safeguard the rights of donors and to ensure that a high quality service is provided.
Appointments must be made before any item is brought into STEAM.
Every item brought into the Museum as a donation will be received by a member of the Curatorial Team. In order to ensure that a member of the Curatorial Team is available to do this, it will be necessary to make an appointment in advance.
In order to provide the highest standards of service it may be necessary for potential donors to leave items at the Museum so that they can be researched more fully. During this time all items will be stored in secure museum storage areas.
A form will be completed in the presence of the donor listing and describing every item. This will be agreed and signed by both parties. One copy of this form will be given to the donor as a receipt. This copy must be produced when the donor returns to collect any or all of the items left.
The Curatorial Team will make a decision on any item left as a donation. This process can take several weeks. The donor will be contacted either to arrange a time to collect completed enquiries and rejected donations, or to complete the paperwork for accepted donation.
We appreciate all offers to donate items to the collection. However we are unable to accept all of these, as the collections have been developing for many years and may already include very similar items.
In no circumstances can objects be left at the Front Desk of the Museum without the permission of a member of the Curatorial Team. STEAM follows national and professional standards for object entry into the Museum, and therefore only allows trained curatorial staff to accept items. If any object is left at the Museum, please note that the Museum retains the right to dispose of the object if not collected within three months.
We are unable to advise on the financial value of items.
