Contact one of our Collections Curators. We cannot accept artifacts which are simply "dropped off". Please help us record the history of the object by answering the Potential Acquisition Questionnaire(.PDF format* [fillable]) and email the information to the State Historical Society of North Dakota's Registrar at: shsmuseum@state.nd.us or mail to:

Museum Collections Committee
North Dakota Heritage Center
612 East Boulevard Avenue
Bismarck, ND 58505-0830

Note: The free Adobe Reader will not allow you to save your completed form and it will be necessary to print and fax or mail the completed form. If you have the full version of Adobe Acrobat, in order to email the PDF form it will be necessary to first complete the form, then save to a file on your computer. That file can then be attached to an email. The Museum Collections Committee meets regularly to review all items offered to the State Historical Society of North Dakota and requests for artifact loans to other museums. The stories these objects represent are important, so when you offer to donate an artifact, we will ask you to help us record its history in detail. We are storytellers, and we use the information to create exciting and intriguing exhibits.

Contact one of our Collections Curators. Please have information about the artifact, who donated it, and when it was donated.

Loans of artifacts and/or specimens from the State Historical Society of North Dakota's museum collections are permitted only to bonafide educational institutions. These institutions must meet various requirements as set forth by the Museum Collections Committee to assure the well-being of the state's museum collections. If you are a qualified representative of your organization and wish to request an artifact loan, please review the Outgoing Loan Time Line and complete the Outgoing Artifact Loan Questionnaire [PDF file]. Send the questionnaire to the Registrar's Office at

State Historical Society of North Dakota
ATTN: Registrar
North Dakota Heritage Center
612 East Boulevard Avenue
Bismarck, ND 58505-0830

Please note: A Standard Facility Report will eventually be required if an artifact loan is to be officially approved. See Standard Facility Report (.PDF format*[fillable]) for our version; the Association of American Museums' Standard Facility Report is also acceptable. [*For a free Adobe Acrobat reader, go to the Adobe Web Site] The free Adobe Reader will not permit you to save changes in the form, so it must be printed and then faxed or mailed. A full version of Adobe Acrobat will allow you to save the file. In that case, to email the PDF form it will be necessary to first complete the form, then save to a file on your computer. That file can then be attached to an email.

The State Historical Society works closely with the State Historical Society of North Dakota Foundation, a private, non-profit organization which supports our efforts. Funds can be donated directly to the Society (701-328-2666; 612 East Boulevard Avenue, Bismarck, ND 58505-0830).