GRPM Collections

Please submit information at the following link:
https://grandrapidspub.wpengine.com/contactcollections/

Some collecting priorities will never change. Objects that inspire curiosity and facilitate
learning will always have a place in the GRPM’s collections. The following priorities help us
focus our collecting on specific institutional goals:

• Grand River Watershed
  As the GRPM continues to develop closer physical connections to the Grand River and the
  accompanying exhibits and programs to interpret if new objects are needed.
• Natural Science
  For the first time in decades the GPRM has begun to inventory and assess its natural science
  collections under the direction of a Science Curator. This work has begun to reveal more
  details about the strengths and gaps of the natural science collections.
• Anishinabek
  In the late 1980s and early 1990s the GRPM worked with Native people all over Michigan to
  proactively collect oral histories as well as modern and historic artifacts to tell their story in
  the “Anishinabek: The People of this Place” exhibit. This exhibition is now a generation old,
  and it is time to begin the process of re-imagining it with our Native partners.

It takes considerable time and resources to catalog and preserve artifacts so the GRPM has
to be selective. Some reasons items are refused include: the material is outside the scope of
the GRPM Collection or the material is similar to something already in the Collection.

GRPM is home to the Grand Rapids Press archive and is not taking newspapers at this time.

GRPM is considered by the IRS to be an “Interested Party,” and is not able to determine
the value of antiques. For that, you would need to hire an appraiser. We recommend that
you work with an appraiser who has been certified by either the Appraisers Association of
America or the American Society of Appraisers.

The professional organization for conservators (American Institute for Conservation) offers
a free online referral service “Find A Professional.“

Due to the high volume of items GRPM manages, items mailed without prior warning or
left at GRPM may be disposed of or transferred as the Museum determines appropriate,
without contacting the sender.

GRPM does not consider unsolicited objects for temporary loan.