As Arizona’s statewide historical society, we collect objects and documents from every period of Arizona's past and all regions of the state. Most materials in our current collection date from before 1930. While we will continue to consider donations of objects and documents made before that date, we are actively seeking items created after 1930 with an emphasis on culture, society, technology, business, and the environment in Arizona. Topics of particular interest include:

• Women’s lives (home and work) and political activism
• Political and social movements
• Immigration and the U.S.- Mexico border
• Environmental history (water use, land use, climate change, etc.)
• Modern industries aligned with the “5 C’s” (Mining, agriculture, tourism, etc.)
• Architectural history and built environment
• Innovation and technology
• Pop culture (arts & entertainment, sports, etc.)
• Military items (used on the home front as well as by service members abroad) with a strong Arizona connection (advertising, posters, uniforms, equipment)
• Historically underrepresented groups, such as:
  • Black communities
  • Asian American communities
  • Mexican American communities
  • Contemporary Indigenous and Tribal communities
  • LGBTQ+ communities

Due to limited space and resources, we are not actively seeking materials that are already heavily represented in our collection, including those that were created prior to 1930. We will not accept donations of materials that are in poor condition, have contested ownership, or do not have strong connections to Arizona. Except in rare cases, we are currently not accepting donations of the following:

• Objects used predominantly outside the state of Arizona
• Large pieces of furniture or equipment
• Typewriters
• Women’s clothing dating from before the 1950s
• Wedding dresses or Christening dresses
• Military uniforms prior to the 1950s
• Pottery sherds or other archaeological materials
• Human remains or protected cultural items
• Items governed by the Arizona Antiquities Act (A.R.S. '15-1631 and '41841, et seq.) and/or the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA)
• Arizona Highways magazines
• Postcards
• Unidentified photographs
• 35mm travel slides
• Newspapers
• Copies of original material (digital or physical)
• Materials with disputed ownership or lack of provenance

All donation offers are reviewed to determine their fit within our collecting scope on a monthly basis by the staff Collections Committee composed of representatives from multiple departments across the agency.

We do not accept unsolicited donations. Please first contact an AHS staff member to discuss your proposed donation. All donations must be reviewed by the Collections Committee prior to acceptance. Do not mail in or drop off donations until asked to do so by a member of our staff. Items sent directly to AHS without prior approval will be considered abandoned property, and may be discarded.

Only in very exceptional cases. Should you choose to donate an item instead, you may be eligible for a tax deduction for your donation. Consult with your tax specialist to determine eligibility.

Because the Internal Revenue Service considers museums, libraries, and archives as “interested parties,” we are unable to provide monetary appraisals for donations, or for items brought in for identification. If you would like your items appraised we recommend consulting a professionally licensed appraiser.

Like most museums, AHS typically has less than 10% of our collection on display at any given time. While we do our best to rotate objects on and off exhibit, we can make no guarantee that a donated object will be immediately exhibited. However, exhibits are not the only way your donated objects may be used. Apart from exhibits, donated objects may also be used for:

• Scholarly research
• School tours
• Museum in a Box kits
• Community outreach events
• Marketing and promotion

AHS is committed to adhering to industry-wide best practices in collections care. All donated materials will be properly cared for. But we cannot guarantee that a donation will remain at a specific AHS location. Most of our collections are housed in our two main buildings, the Arizona History Museum in Tucson and the Arizona Heritage Center in Tempe, both of which have excellent storage facilities for object collections and archival materials. Once an item is accepted into AHS collections, our staff will make the best possible decision for where that item should be stored. Donated objects may also be used at various AHS museums for exhibition, or may occasionally be loaned to other cultural institutions for their own exhibitions.

Due to limited space and resources, AHS does not accept long-term loans or donations with restricted access. As part of the donation process, donors are required to sign a Deed of Gift, which includes an agreement to transfer legal title or ownership to the Arizona Historical Society as well as full control of donated materials. No donation will be accepted without a signed Deed of Gift.

To find out more about AHS’ various collections, please visit the links below:

• Digital artifact catalog: https://azhs.catalogaccess.com/
• Library and archives catalog: https://azhs.bywatersolutions.com/

For additional questions, please contact our Collections and Archives staff using the emails provided.

• Fill out the Donation Proposal Form at the bottom of this page! (A paper copy can also be provided upon request.)
• For additional questions, please contact our Collections and Archives staff using the emails provided.