Every year, many artifacts, books, and archival materials are added to the USGA Museum’s collections through the generosity of individuals and organizations. These donations help us fulfill our mission as custodians of the game’s history.

Collections Policy

The USGA Museum is eager to collect artifacts and items that relate to the USGA, USGA championships, and USGA champions. Most items received into the collection are of historic and/or artistic merit, and are used for the purposes of display, comparison, research, preservation, or to upgrade the quality and/or condition of the collections.

Only artifacts with demonstrated authenticity, established provenance, and clear issues of title will be accepted by the Museum. Please note that it is our general policy to refuse donations upon which restrictions have been placed.

Information for Potential Donors

Due to the great volume of offers we receive each year, we cannot accept donated material through the mail without prior communication. If you have artifacts, footage, photographs, or archival material that you believe would complement the Museum’s collection, please send us an e-mail or letter explaining the item, its significance, and include images and any pertinent background information. Inquiries and information regarding potential donations should be directed to:

Rand Jerris, Ph.D., Director
USGA Museum
PO Box 708
77 Liberty Corner Road
Far Hills, NJ 07931-0708
rjerris@usga.org
Tel. 908-470-1991
Fax 908-470-5013

Frequently Asked Donation Questions

Will the USGA Museum appraise my donation for its monetary value?
Due to regulations and policies issued by the Internal Revenue Service, the Museum cannot provide monetary appraisals of items offered for donation (or for any other purpose).

However, professional appraisers do perform this service for a fee. To find a licensed appraiser in your area, we recommend potential donors to contact the American Society of Appraisers, the International Society of Appraisers, or the Appraisers Association of America for a referral.

Can I take a tax deduction for my donation?
The USGA Museum is recognized as a qualified charitable organization. As such, the fair market value of your donated materials is generally tax deductible. To take advantage of your deduction, you must file tax form 1040 and, depending on the value of your donation, tax form 8283.

To ensure that you receive the maximum tax benefit, it is recommended that you consult with your own accountant, attorney, and/or the Internal Revenue Service. You may also consult Internal Revenue Service Publication No. 526, Charitable Contributions, and Publication No. 561, Determining the Value of Donated Property.

How are potential donations reviewed?
Donation offers are reviewed by the Museum staff. The staff is knowledgeable in both the scope of our existing collection, as well as various issues associated with the long-term care of artifacts.

The staff uses the criteria outlined in the Collections Policy as a guide. We also take into consideration the condition of the object and the availability of resources required to properly store and care for the item. The sensitive nature of materials or ownership of copyrights may also factor into acquisition decisions.

How long does it take for the USGA Museum to review proposed donations?
The Museum staff typically meets monthly to review donations proposed during the previous month. However, regular reviews may be postponed when staff time is otherwise committed to championship responsibilities, development of exhibitions, or special programs. Some donation offers also require substantial research before the staff can adequately review them and render a decision.

Can I mail or drop off a donation?
The Museum cannot accept unsolicited donations through the mail or in person without prior written communication. If you have artifacts or documents that you believe would make valuable additions to our collection, we ask that you kindly submit your request in writing.

Does the USGA Museum accept long-term loans?
The USGA Museum does not accept long-term loans. While we do accept loan materials on a short-term basis in conjunction with exhibitions and other programs, we cannot commit our resources to the long-term storage and preservation of materials that have not been permanently accessioned into the collections.

Will the USGA Museum exhibit the artifacts or documents in my donation?
The Museum cannot guarantee that any objects donated to its collection will be exhibited unless expressly collected for that purpose. Only a fraction of the collection is on view at any given time.

However, the Museum does allocate a significant portion of its annual budget to maintaining optimal conditions in its storage areas and galleries to ensure the long-term preservation of all collection materials.

Objects from the collection are occasionally loaned to other institutions for temporary exhibitions, and most artifacts and documents in the collection are made available for research purposes.

If I donate artifacts or documents to the USGA Museum, will they be returned to me at my request?
The USGA Museum cannot return accessioned collection materials to the donor. Once the Museum accepts your donation for the collection, you will be asked to sign a Deed of Gift, which legally transfers ownership of the materials to the Museum.