Donate an Artifact

The staff at the Air Mobility Command Museum greatly appreciates all offers from potential donors. We depend on the generosity of the public to provide the museum with artifacts to create and update our exhibits.

Our collection policy states that we may only collect artifacts that are relevant to airlift and air refueling history and the history of Dover AFB from 1941 to the present. We would not be able to accept, for example, a U.S. Navy artifact or WWI artifact because it falls outside our scope of collection.

If you wish to make a donation, you may be asked to leave the item at the museum so the Collections Committee can examine it and determine if it can be accepted into the museum's collection. You'll be given a Temporary Deposit Receipt identifying the item or items that you have left with us. If the Committee decides that the item or item falls within our scope, you'll be asked to sign a Proffer of Gift relinquishing all rights to the item. Donations are only accepted unconditionally which means that the donor may not place restrictions upon use or display of an item or request that the item be returned. It's also important to remember that artifacts acquired by the Air Mobility Command Museum are the property of the National Museum of the USAF, of which the AMC Museum is a part.

Air Force regulations prohibit the museum staff from appraising or making a valuation of a donation for tax deduction purposes.

We can make the best use of an artifact when we know as much as possible about its history. For example, if you're donating an Army Air Force-era Ike jacket; we would like to know who wore it and when, if the person was involved in any major campaigns, or anything else that may be known. A donor probably can't give us too much information!

Please remember that if the museum staff must turn down your offer of a donation, it's done only with the greatest reluctance. We appreciate the generosity of all those who wish to make a donation.