Embroiderers' Guild Museum Collection

Making a donation

An offer to donate an item to the Collection can be made by letter, email or telephone. In the first instance ask for the Collection Manager or the Head of Members Services.

Please tell us as much as you can about the technique used, age, maker, any interesting history, and any connection to the Guild.

There are three categories of acceptance:

  1. Acceptance in to the collection where its presence will be recorded, it might be exhibited and will be looked after using museum guidelines
  2. Acceptance as part of the handling collection i.e. the folios where it will be used for study but will not become part of the permanent collection and may have a limited life span.
  3. Acceptance as a donation which may be used as the Guild sees fit, including selling the object to raise funds for the Embroiderers' Guild.

Large hangings, quilts, costume etc may not be accepted for anything other than category (c). Photographs and digital images may help us make an early assessment without postal or travel costs being incurred. However, if an item is donated under category (a) it must be seen by the Collection Manager before it can be accepted.

We will usually ask for the item to be sent to Embroiderers' Guild House for consideration. In exceptional circumstances, the Collection Manager will visit it on site. If we are in any doubt about an item we will refer it to the Guild's curatorial advisor.

Donors are asked to understand that the Guild cannot accept all items offered. A piece may not be accepted when:

The object does not correspond to the description offered.

Once a piece has been accepted, a form will be sent to the donor specifying the type of donation. One copy should be signed by the donor and returned to the Guild and the other retained by the donor.

Guild policy relating to donations to the Collection may change at any time, subject to ratification by the Board of Trustees.

Download this information in MS Word format