Loans

Update, June 2021: While the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History exhibition spaces will partially open to the public on June 18th, our collections remain closed to most staff and all researchers, and the museum’s COVID-19 loan moratorium remains in effect. Currently, there is no capacity to accommodate collections activities including visits, image requests, loans, and shipments.  While there is no current date set for when on-site collections activities will resume, we will update as soon as this changes.

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.