Over the years, local people have shared many family treasures with Sauder Village. The collections department now manages thousands of objects which are exhibited in historic structures and recreated buildings, the museum, or stored for future use. Most materials at Sauder Village have been donated for use in the permanent or educational collections. This allows curators to care and manage the collections, exhibits, and use items effectively.
A collections committee, made up of current and former collections and administrative staff, are charged with reviewing each item offered to Sauder Village. The committee considers the object’s history, condition, our existing collection, and current and future needs. The group also considers resources required to store, manage, and exhibit the item before they decide if it should be accepted.
If you are interested in donating an item to Sauder Village, you will need to fill out an Acquisition Inquiry Form to give us a description, brief history of the artifact, and provenance (history of ownership). The collections committee meets monthly to review items and then you will be contacted about the decision.
To learn more about having us consider an item for donation call 419.446.2541 or email info@saudervillage.org. If you have an artifact you would like considered for the collection please bring a completed Acquisition Inquiry Form and photos of your artifact to the 2nd floor office of the Sauder Village Welcome Center or mail to Sauder Village Collections Dept., PO Box 235, Archbold, OH 43502.
Interested in helping us store and care for our artifacts? Contact Tracie Evans, Curator of Collections, at tevans@saudervillage.org