As a public health precaution due to COVID-19, all Smithsonian museums are temporarily closed. We are not announcing a reopening date at this time and will provide updates on our websites and social media.
The Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), loans objects from its collections for temporary exhibits to qualifying museums. While the Department's goal is to accommodate qualified borrowers, the volume and timing of submissions often make it impossible to approve all requests. For the best chance of approval, please request the loan at least 18 months prior to the proposed shipping date, with clear intellectual justification for the loan and evidence of budgetary planning for all costs, including conservation, bracket-making, packing and shipping.
For more information regarding our loan policies and procedures and to submit a loan proposal please refer to the documents below.