Donating to the Collections
Greenwich residents and business owners often have records and objects that are important pieces of our town’s history. These might be documents, photographs, textiles or artwork that hold historic value. Either the archival or museum collections at Greenwich Historical Society could be good repositories for preserving these items and their stories.
Donating to the Archival Collection
Archival collections of letters, diaries, photographs, films, and electronic records help residents and researchers learn more about our local history. We carefully assess and maintain these materials to ensure their lasting preservation. Most importantly, these resources are made accessible to anyone who comes to the archive to do research. When you donate to an archive, your records become part of our collective story, and will help future generations understand this historical moment.
At the Greenwich Historical Society, we are hoping to expand our archival collections of 20th and 21st century Greenwich materials. Do you have photo albums from when you went to a Greenwich school? Notes for articles that you wrote for a local newspaper? Did you run a business in Greenwich, and don’t know what to do with the backlog of records? The Library and Archives might be the place for these materials. Digital records – including photographs, emails, and documents, are also welcome.
If you have archival materials that you think might be of interest, please contact the Curator of Library & Archives, Christopher Shields (cshields@greenwichhistory.org) with any details and questions.
When going through potential donation materials, the archivist will consider whether the items would be a good fit for the Greenwich Historical Society’s collection. In general, the archivist will consider whether the donation has a strong connection to Greenwich history, how unique the donation is, and its condition. Items that have little to no collection to the town, or that the archive already has multiple copies of, or that are in poor condition are less likely to be accepted. Items of particular interest include post-WWII photographs (images of streetscapes, properties, businesses and family activities, for example), and any documentation of businesses or community organizations from the 20th century.
If the donation materials are accepted into the archival collection, a deed of gift will be drawn and the Greenwich Historical Society will take possession of the collection. These materials will then be documented, preserved, and shared in perpetuity.
Donating to the Museum Collection
The Greenwich Historical Society Museum Collection comprises nearly 4,000 objects, including furniture, textiles, toys, tools and household objects that relate to the history of Greenwich and the people who have lived here. The Museum Collection also includes works of art by artists who made up the Cos Cob colony of American Impressionism, including John Henry Twachtman, Childe Hassam, and Elmer Livingston MacRae.
The Greenwich Historical Society welcomes offers of donated artworks and objects to the Museum Collection that fit the following criteria:
- The item(s) reflect the lifestyles of the artists and occupants of Bush-Holley Historic Site.
- The item(s) reflect the activities of members of the Cos Cob art colony.
- The item(s) were made or used in Greenwich, and/or reflect life in historic or present-day Greenwich.
- The item(s) are concerning or associated with Greenwich people, places, or events.
If your potential donation fits these criteria, please send an email to Maggie Dimock, Curator of Collections & Exhibitions (mdimock@greenwichhistory.org) with the following information:
- A brief description of the object(s);
- The name of the artist or maker (if known);
- The approximate year it was created or when acquired;
- Its approximate dimensions;
- If possible, a photograph of the object(s).
Please note that donated objects will not be accepted by the Greenwich Historical Society without prior consultation with the Curator.
If you have objects that you think might be of interest, please contact the Curator of Collections & Exhibitions, Maggie Dimock (mdimock@greenwichhistory.org) with any details and questions.
