Help Us Preserve the Right Pieces of History
Storage and exhibit space are limited, so the society reviews potential donations before items are brought to the museum. Tell us what you have - the Acquisition Committee looks at every inquiry and follows up.
- Open
- Sundays, 1–4 p.m.
May through September - Where
- 105 Fairview St.
Hanover, MI - Collection
- Nearly 100 reed organs
and melodeons
Before you bring it in.
Attics, barns and family albums across the Hanover-Horton area still hold pieces of this community’s story — photographs, tools, schoolbooks, instruments and the everyday objects that carried life here. Some of them belong in the museum. Not all of them can be.
A donated artifact, photograph or document is preserved for coming generations, and it gives our visitors a real-life look at the past.
Because storage and exhibit space are limited, the society reviews every potential donation before it comes to the museum. Please do not drop items off. Start with the inquiry below and share what you know: how the object connects to the Hanover-Horton area or to the museum’s musical mission, what condition it is in, and photographs where possible.
- 01
Tell us about the item
Fill in the inquiry below with as much detail as you can, and email photographs if you have them.
- 02
The Acquisition Committee reviews
Committee members consider the condition of the item, its local or musical significance, and how it fits the collection.
- 03
We follow up
You will hear back with next steps, whatever the committee decides, so nothing sits in limbo.
Why every item is reviewed
The Acquisition Committee evaluates every item before it is accepted. Here is why.
- Limited space
- Display and storage space are limited, so every item is evaluated before it is accepted.
- No duplicates
- The committee evaluates each item to avoid duplicating something the collection already holds.
- Collecting goals
- Each item is also weighed against the society’s acquisition goals.
Giving money, goods or services instead? Those gifts can offset expenses, so the society can provide more educational experiences for visitors.
Tell us about your item
Share whatever you know — partial answers are welcome. The committee would rather hear about an item twice than never.
Photographs help
A few clear photos are the fastest way for the committee to understand your item. Email them to office@hhahs.org with a short description, before or after you submit this form.
The Temporary Custody Receipt
The society’s form for an offered item is the Temporary Custody Receipt. Donors fill it in with as much information and detail as possible and send it, with a photo of the item if possible, to the attention of the Acquisition Chair. Here, the inquiry form below is the place to start. You can also email office@hhahs.org and mark the message for the Acquisition Chair.
See what the collection already holds.
Photographs, records, businesses, families and schools of the Hanover-Horton area - and nearly a hundred restored reed organs.