Acquisition Policy

The Kelsey Museum improves its collections by selective acquisition through gift, purchase or bequest. Objects acquired by the Museum shall further the Museum's mission, have a valid legal title, and be unrestricted. Upon acceptance into the Museum's collections, the objects will be properly catalogued, conserved, stored and possibly exhibited. Acquisitions are subject to the approval of the Curators, Director, and Executive Committee.

Acquisition of Expatriated Objects

As used herein, "country of origin" refers to the country where the object was made, used, or transported to in antiquity. "Country of acquisition" refers to the country in which the object was offered to the museum for sale, gift, or other arrangement, and from which the object was exported to the United States.

1. The Museum will not acquire objects if the legality of expatriation is questionable.

a) In accordance with UNESCO Convention 1970, objects which left their country of origin or were imported into the United States after December 30, 1973 require a valid export title, a receipt showing that they were acquired legally within the country of origin, or some other acceptable documentation which shows that the objects' export from their country of origin, and, where applicable, that export from their country of acquisition was legal.

b) As complete documentation for objects expatriated before December 30, 1973 may be unavailable, it will be the duty of the Museum in these cases to establish an object's pedigree through reasonable investigation. When possible, the burden of this process will be placed on the source who offers the object to the Museum. If the Museum finds the documentation for the object in conformity with museum policy, the Museum may then acquire the object.

c) The Museum will refuse to acquire objects if the Museum has reasonable cause to believe that the circumstances of their recovery involved the recent unscientific or intentional destruction of sites or monuments.

2. If the Museum should inadvertently acquire an object that is later found by the Museum to have been exported or recovered in violation of this policy, the Museum shall promptly return the object to the transferor or to the government of the country of origin, the government of the country of acquisition, or other proper owner as deemed appropriate. Reimbursement for the cost of the acquisition will be sought from the appropriate party.