Artifact Donations

The collection must follow the mission of the Marietta History Center (hereby referred to as MHC), in that it must help to continue the goal to “Ignite curiosity in Marietta’s history.” The scope of the artifacts within the collection must meet at least one of the following criteria established by the MHC. The artifact must:

• be associated with the city of Marietta or Cobb County and its entities.

• be created, manufactured, owned, or used by a Mariettan or a Cobb Countian.

• have a direct connection with the people, sites, activities, or events in the history of Marietta and Cobb County.  here

Please explain what you would like to donate, the history of the items, and their connection to Marietta and/or Cobb County. Information about the owner and when or how they were made or acquired is also helpful.

Materials will be assessed by MHC staff, to determine if the items fit the Scope of Collection. Please fill out the form below to being and if you can include photos of the artifacts please upload them as well.

The Marietta History Center is deeply grateful for the generosity of those who wish to donate artifacts to our collection. However, due to the focused nature of our mission and the limitations of our storage and conservation resources, we are unable to accept all donation offers. Each artifact we acquire must directly support our ability to tell the story of Marietta and the surrounding region, and must meet specific criteria related to condition, relevance, and long-term preservation needs. We encourage anyone wishing to donate to contact us in advance so we can thoughtfully evaluate whether an item is the right fit for our collection.

The MHC can not guarantee display of any artifacts in the collection. Like many museums our collection contains thousands of artifacts and we are only able to display around 5 to 10% at anytime.

The MHC only accepts short term loans, when they relate to temporary exhibitions. We do not accept any long term loans.

Staff can not appraise the monetary value of artifacts and artworks due to ethical and legal regulations.

Staff act strictly as historical and educational experts, leaving financial valuations to independent, third-party professionals.