Does NARA exhibit privately-owned material?

Checkout our iOS App for a better way to browser and research.

§ 1284.20 Does NARA exhibit privately-owned material?

(a) NARA does not normally accept for display documents, paintings, or other objects belonging to private individuals or organizations except as part of a NARA-produced exhibit.

(b) NARA may accept for temporary special exhibit at the National Archives Building privately-owned documents or other objects under the following conditions:

(1) The material to be displayed relates to the institutional history of the National Archives and Records Administration or its predecessor organizations, the National Archives Establishment and the National Archives and Records Service;

(2) Exhibition space is available in the building that NARA judges to be appropriate in terms of security, light level, climate control, and available exhibition cases or other necessary fixtures; and

(3) NARA has resources (such as exhibit and security staff) available to produce the special exhibit.

(c) The Director of Museum Programs (NWE), in conjunction with the NARA General Counsel when appropriate, reviews all offers to display privately-owned material in the Washington, DC, area, and negotiates the terms of exhibition for offers that NARA can accept. Directors of Presidential libraries perform these tasks for their respective libraries. The lender must provide in writing evidence of title to and authenticity of the item(s) to be displayed before NARA makes a loan agreement.

(d) The Director of Museum Programs or director of the pertinent Presidential library will inform the offering private individual or organization of NARA's decision in writing within 60 days.


Download our app to see the most-to-date content.