Donations and Artifacts

The Champlain Trail Museum & Pioneer Village welcomes the donation of local heritage items and archive materials to add to our ever-growing collection. Unfortunately, due to a high saturation of artifacts and donations, the museum must abide by a strict acquisition policy:

1. The artifact(s) in question must have a unique relationship to this area and facilitate an understanding of the history of the Ottawa Valley.
2. The artifact(s) in question must date from early archaeological findings to the 1930s. Items dated post-1930 may be accepted if there is a direct relationship to Pembroke/Ottawa Valley.
3. The artifact(s) in question must come from the geographic area of the City of Pembroke, the Township of Laurentian Valley and adjacent communities on both sides of the Ottawa River where it does not interfere with the collection or mandate of a neighboring museum in the Renfrew County Museums Network (RCMN).
4. The museum will make best efforts to accept worthy items into our collection or reach out to other museums who can take it in. If you are unsure whether your item fits our mandate, please review the list of museums in the Renfrew County Museums Network to ensure your artifact is finding the best home possible.

Here is our process for donating artifacts and archive materials:

· Please call or email at least 24 hours in advance before dropping off your donation: email: curator@champlaintrailmuseum.com // phone: 613-735-0517

· If the donation is large, delicate, or difficult to move please try to provide a picture of the item prior to dropping it off. You can bring the picture into the office or email it to curator@champlaintrailmuseum.com.

· When you arrive at the museum with your donation, please ring the doorbell if you need assistance to bring it in. For large/heavy items please notify us in advance so we can have adequate assistance available to move the item safely.

· Upon arrival, a museum staff member or volunteer will take several minutes to interview you about your donation to get as much information as possible about the item’s provenance and history.

· If museum staff and/or accession committee members decide to accept the artifact(s) in question, they will complete a Deed of Gift form and make a copy for your personal records.

· Once an item has been donated, it shall become the exclusive and absolute property of the Champlain Trail Museum & Pioneer Village (a subsidiary of the Ottawa Valley Historical Society Inc.).  

· We will not accept any donations left unattended outside the museum. Any artifacts or archive materials left outside the door will be thrown away.