Access to the Collections
The Museum grants access to collections for the purpose of research and study by individuals or by groups. Access to the collections is by appointment only. Appointments are scheduled by the Collections Manager upon receipt of the Access to Collections (pdf) request form. At least 3 weeks notice of an intended visit must be given so that appropriate staff can be consulted and work space can be arranged.

Researchers unaffiliated with an institution should provide a brief CV with their statement of research objectives. Student researchers are required to provide a letter of support from a faculty member from their home institution who is familiar with their research. Research requests may be sent by fax, email, or regular mail.

Making an Appointment
If you wish to make an appointment to conduct research with the collections, please contact:

Karen O'Brien                                                     734-764-6299 (office)
Collections Manager                                          734-763-7783 (fax)
1109 Geddes Ave.                                             klobrien@umich.edu
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1079

Destructive Analysis
The Museum of Anthropology encourages the use of its collections for research in all fields and with a wide variety of research methods. However, the Museum must balance the use of its collections with its commitment to hold its collections in perpetuity for the general public. Proposals from researchers outside the Museum are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and acceptance is at the discretion of the Curator in charge of the materials. Before permission is granted, the researchers must agree to provide the Museum with a copy of his or her results.

Please see the Guidelines for Destructive Analysis of Museum Collections (pdf) for information about applying to the Museum for such research. The Museum cannot be responsible for selecting materials to be sampled. Therefore, researchers may have to request a preliminary visit to determine sample materials.

Loans of Collections to Researchers
The Museum loans only to institutions, not to individuals. A permanently employed institutional representative who has authority to bind the institution is named responsible for the loan. Investigators who are not located at, or affiliated with, an institution can make arrangements to have specimens sent to a nearby facility as long as a member of that institution is willing to accept responsibility for the specimens, and provided that the specimens remain on the premises of that institution. Specimens requested by students, post-doctoral fellows, or emeritus faculty require endorsement by an appropriate Curator, current faculty member, or staff member with authority to bind their institution, and will be considered the direct responsibility of the institution and the endorser.

Only under exceptional circumstances will loans be made to individual borrowers without institutional affiliation or sponsorship. An unaffiliated individual must be known to a division of the Museum, must demonstrate the capacity to handle and store specimens correctly and securely, and to return specimens in a timely manner, and must be approved by the Director and appropriate Curator.

Requests from institutions outside the University to borrow Museum of Anthropology specimens for research or exhibit should be made in writing to the appropriate Curator or Collections Manager. Requests should include the following information: the purpose of the loan; a description of the material requested in as much detail as possible; and where, and under whose responsibility, the specimens will be housed while on loan. Requests for loans should be submitted at least three (3) weeks prior to the date specimens are to leave the Museum.

The Museum is under no obligation to provide any material for loan. Some specimens in the Museum's collections are not available for loan, including specimens judged too fragile or too environmentally sensitive to travel, current research materials, and specimens needed for teaching at the Museum. The Museum does not loan items that fall under the regulation of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act.

Loan requests will be reviewed by the Curator of the appropriate division and the Collections Manager.
 
The length of each loan will be specified at the time of the loan, and will generally not exceed one year. There are no loan fees; however, borrowers may be required to pay for shipping, special crating and travel expenses if deemed appropriate.

Please review the Outgoing Loan Policy (pdf) in its entirety before requesting any materials.

Photographing Museum Collections
The Museum of Anthropology is a research museum dedicated to disseminating information about its collection to researchers, students, and the interested public. To help further this mission, the Museum of Anthropology will, in certain instances, grant permission to individuals to take photographs of objects in its permanent collections that are not ordinarily accessible to the public. Requests to take photographs of the Museum's collections must be sent in with the Access to Collections Form. Please read the full Photographing Museum Collections Policy (pdf) before submitting requests.

Collections in Classroom Activities
The Museum of Anthropology encourages University faculty to use the Museum's collections in their classroom teaching. If materials requested are too fragile or cannot travel across campus, arrangements may be made to have the materials viewed at the Museum. Arrangements can be made to borrow materials for exhibit in classrooms on the University's Ann Arbor campus by contacting the Collections Manager.