Want to donate to STEAM’s Collection? Here's how.
Donations
If you have an object of historical interest, which relates to the history of the GWR or British Rail (Western Region), and would like to donate it to the Museum then please contact us by either telephone, email or by letter.
STEAM has established a set of guidelines relating to objects brought in for donation. These are designed to safeguard the rights of donors and to ensure that a high quality service is provided.
Appointments must be made before any item is brought into STEAM.
Every item brought into the Museum as a donation will be received by either the Curator or the Collections Officer. In order to ensure that a member of the Curatorial Department is available to do this, it will be necessary to make an appointment in advance.
In order to provide the highest standards of service it may be necessary for potential donors to leave objects at the Museum so that they can be researched more fully. During this time all items will be stored in secure museum storage areas.
A form will be completed in the presence of the donor listing and describing every item. This will be agreed and signed by both parties. One copy of this form will be given to the donor as a receipt. This copy must be produced when the donor returns to collect any or all of the items left.
The Curatorial Department will then make a decision on any object left as a donation. This process will take up to two weeks. The donor will be contacted either to arrange a time for them to collect completed enquiries and rejected donations, or to complete the paperwork for accepted donation
We value and appreciate all offers to donate items to the collection. However we are unable to accept all of these, as the collections have been developing for many years and may already include very similar items.
We are unable to advise on the financial value of items.
Contact Details
Curatorial Department
STEAM Museum of the GWR
Kemble Drive
Swindon
SN2 2TA
Tel: 01793 466607
E-mail:steamlibrary@swindon.gov.uk