Donating to a museum?

[SeaDog101]

I recently had a really crazy idea, but I'm not sure if it'll ever come to fruition.

For the last 2 years, I have been so enraptured with the history, and the model building of, a HMS Habakkuk ice aircraft carrier. The 1/700 scale model is done and already in the MW gallery back in June this year.

http://www.modelshipgallery.com/gallery/misc/whatif/habakkuk-700-em/index.html

But now, I seem to be turning my thoughts to a bigger and far crazier future "possible" project: A 1/350 (Almost 6 feet long!) scale Habakkuk carrier, but detail the heck out of it and show the FULL interior from bow to stern. It's an impossible project due to little or no blueprints and technical diagrams, etc. But I have already begun formulating notes, calculations, specifications, etc. just in case I actually do this project in the future.

But here's the thing: I don't want to do this for myself. I can't keep a 6 foot model in my small apartment as I don't have the room. I had the thought of what if I donated it to a museum? I was thinking of the following:

1. Jasper, Canada is where a small scale Habakkuk prototype was built and tested on a lake. There is a museum here: http://www.jaspermuseum.org/

2. Would the Royal Naval Museum be interested in such a display? After all, Project Habakkuk was originally a British idea/concept. They have a website here: http://www.royalnavalmuseum.org/index.htm

 

How would I go about pitching such an idea/concept for a large model display to a museum? What questions should I be asking? And if the above museums wouldn't be interested in such a display, then who would?

[ghodges]

A museum would indeed be THE best place for such a model, but I wouldn't start it before you and they agreed on the following:

 

1) How it will be displayed (covered, uncovered, who pays for the display case,etc)

2) How will it be transported to the museum (who pays?)

3) Will there be any compensation to you the builder? (I know you're not seeking any)

4) Are there any "quality" requirements? Sounds like you're already supplying a "museum quality model", but it will be a question in THEIR mind if they don't know you.

 

There are probably several museums that might like to have it, but I think the financial questions are what will have to be answered before anyone agrees to take it. The less it costs THEM, the more likely they are to want it!

 

 

GIL

[VonL]

Suggestion: Just build it! Have fun and enjoy the ride. Then, when you get it done, take some detail shots of it and write an article for the IPMS USA Journal -! Then, shop it to the museums using the detail pix & article. The article would, in one swoop, provide a museum with enough info on the model's quality and its provenance to decide whether they want it.

 

I'm guessing that any museum featuring aircraft carriers and/or naval aviation subjects would be intrigued by this unique subject, given a professional presentation. The fact that it is scratchbuilt and that there is no kit available also tells them that they are getting something special.

 

IMHO, the ultimate benefit of this path would be that you build it for yourself, on your own time.