Collections – Museum Exchange

A Collection is a single listing that includes multiple individual objects submitted together to Museum Exchange for review.

Collections are used when a group of objects is intended to be considered and received together as part of one donation. Once submitted, Museum Exchange reviews the information provided before the Collection is added to the catalogue.

What is a Collection?

In Museum Exchange, a Collection is a listing made up of more than one object. A Collection allows a donor to group related objects into one formal submission instead of submitting each object separately. In the catalogue, multiple objects are grouped into a single listing for review by institutions. All objects also should be physically together for shipping and receiving purposes.

A Collection should be used when the objects are meant to be:

reviewed together
presented together in one listing
received together as a single donation
shipped from the same location

Submitting a Collection tells Museum Exchange that the grouped objects should be considered as one donation opportunity.

When to create a Collection

A Collection is the right choice when multiple objects belong together and should remain together throughout the review and donation process.

This may be appropriate when:

the objects are part of the same group or set
the objects are closely related and intended to be reviewed together
the donor wants institutions to consider all objects as one donation rather than individually
The objects are all in the same location

If you want institutions to consider objects separately, each object should be submitted in its own listing instead of as a Collection.

Important note about Collections

If a listing is submitted as a Collection, institutions must receive all objects in that Collection as a single donation.

This means the objects in the Collection are not offered individually. They are reviewed and proposed on as one grouped submission.

Before you submit a Collection

Before submitting a Collection, make sure:

all object records in the Collection are complete
images for each object are uploaded and clear
ownership information is accurate
location information is correct
any available supporting information has been added for the relevant objects

Providing complete and accurate information for every object in the Collection helps Museum Exchange review the submission more efficiently.

How to create and submit a Collection

To submit a Collection:

Sign in to your Museum Exchange account.
Click Create Listing from the Objects or Listings tab.
Select the objects you want to include in the Collection. Reminder that all objects need to be in the same folder in order for them to be combined into a Collection.
Select the cover image. In the catalogue this is the primary image that is displayed. Other details can be seen when looking at the listing page.
Review the listing details carefully.
Confirm that the information is complete and accurate for all included objects.Submit the Collection for review.

Once submitted, the Collection enters the Museum Exchange review process.

What happens after you submit a Collection

After a Collection is submitted, Museum Exchange reviews the information provided for accuracy and authenticity before the listing is added to the catalogue. If the Collection is approved, it is added to an upcoming catalogue where institutions can review it.

During the catalogue window, institutions may explore the Collection and decide whether to begin formal internal review. If an institution decides the Collection is a fit, it may later submit a formal proposal for the donor’s consideration.

Best practices for Collections

To help your Collection move smoothly through review:

include only objects that are intended to stay together
make sure each object record is complete
upload clear images for each object
select the most notable object's image to be used as the cover image for the Collection
review the full Collection carefully before submitting
confirm that the grouped submission reflects how you want the donation to be considered

Common questions

Can I include more than one object in a Collection?

Yes. A Collection is specifically designed for multiple objects submitted together in one listing.

Can institutions choose only one object from a Collection?

No. If a listing is submitted as a Collection, institutions must receive all objects in that Collection as a single donation.

Should I use a Collection or separate listings?

Use a Collection when the objects should be reviewed and received together. Use separate listings when the objects should be considered individually.

What happens after I submit a Collection?

Museum Exchange reviews the Collection before it is added to an upcoming catalogue.

Can I edit a Collection after submitting it?

This may depend on the stage of the review process. If you need to make a change after submission, check the listing status in the platform or contact support.