Donate to the Collections

The Mercer Museum and Library invites gifts and bequests of artifacts, artwork, books, photographs, documents and other archival materials that fit the scope of our collections. These may include tools, products of handcraft, and other artifacts of pre-industrial America (to circa 1850); and materials of all kinds related specifically to the history of Bucks County and the experiences of its people, from its earliest history to the present day.


BCHS Gift Terms & Conditions

If you have objects or materials that you would like to donate to our collections, please send an email to Kristin Lapos, Collections Manager, at KLapos@mercermuseum.org. Please include the following information in your email:

  • Your name and contact information
  • A brief description of the artifacts or archival materials
  • Any information you may know about who made the artifacts or materials, who used them, and how they were acquired
  • One or two photographs of the artifacts or materials

You may also give us a call at 215-345-0210 ext. 119 to discuss any potential donation.

Curatorial staff carefully considers all potential donations and determines whether the artifacts or materials will fit into our permanent or education collections. Due to storage space and other considerations, we are only able to accept a fraction of the materials offered to us each year. If we cannot accept an object, we can sometimes suggest other institutions who may be interested. We cannot guarantee that any object accepted into our collection will be displayed. In general, donations to our collections must be free of donor-imposed restrictions.

Please note that an appointment is required to meet with a curatorial staff member about potential donations. Museum policy forbids visitor services staff, research library assistants, and other non-curatorial staff members from accepting potential donations at the reception desks of the Mercer Museum and Library and Fonthill Castle.

If you have any questions about potential donations or would like to make an appointment to discuss a donation, please email Kristin Lapos at KLAPOS@mercermuseum.org or give us a call at 215-345-0210 ext. 119.

ROLLO'S FACTS

Among the oldest artifacts in the Mercer Museum are a 2,000 year old whale oil lamp and Native American implements dating to 6,000-8,000 BC.
Rollo's Fact 7

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• On Tuesday, March 19, 2024, Fonthill Castle will have a delayed opening. The first tour will begin at 11:45am.

• Fonthill Castle will be closed to the public on Tuesday, March 26, 2024.

Full schedule information can be found here.
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