The objects held in The Dowse permanent collections are owned by the Hutt City Council.
The Museum is under no obligation to accept all items it is offered. Offers of items / materials unsuitable for The Dowse will be directed to a more appropriate museums, where possible. Items may also be acquired by the Museum for use in its education activities, provided that in the case of a gift, the donor is aware the object is not being accepted for permanent collections.
The Museum will not acquire, whether by purchase, gift, bequest or exchange, any item, unless the Director is satisfied valid title to the item can be acquired.
The team meet once a month to discuss potential acquisitions for The Dowse Art Museum collection. Some of the factors we consider:
- Space to store objects - our collection stores are limited and already near capacity
- Condition of items - we do not have onsite conservators or a large budget to restore objects
- Artworks will only be considered if they complement and strengthen our current collections and have the potential to be used in future exhibitions
To determine whether your item/s may be suitable for the collection, please fill out the information below. We will be in contact within two months to let you know if we would like to proceed with your offer, or we may be able to suggest alternative places you could try.
Further enquiries can be directed to:
Jo Wehrly, Collections Manager
Phone: 04 560 1484
Email: jo.wehrly@huttcity.govt.nz