Using the Collections

Research visits to the collection are very welcome. Please contact either the Heritage Collections Manager or Collections Information Officer with your request. Please be as specific as possible about what you want to see and why, to help us deal with your request as quickly as possible.

We ask for at least 4 weeks’ notice prior to your visit.

During your visits you may be permitted to take photographs of objects for private study and non-commercial- research. If you wish to use this you will need to complete a photograph permission form during your visit

Commercial reproduction requests should be made by contacting the museum@peterboroughlimited.co.uk and make your email for the attention of the Heritage collections manager.

Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery is the official repository of archival material generated by archaeological fieldwork undertaken within the boundaries of Peterborough Unitary Authority.

To learn more about our archives, or for information on depositions, please see our Archaeological Archives page.

The museum welcomes requests to lend items from the collections to organisations that are open to the public, or loans that will be of clear public benefit. Organisation are asked to meet required conservation and security standards, according to our loans policy.

Past loans have included objects to Tate Britain, the National History Museum and even objects to Japan.

Potential borrowers are encouraged to contact the Heritage Collections Manager informally in the first instance to discuss object selections and the practicalities of borrowing before putting in a formal request.

Formal loan requisitions should be made by formal letter or email at least one year in advance of the proposed loan period. Letters should be addressed to: Heritage Manager, Peterborough Museum, Priestgate, Peterborough, PE1 1LF. Letters sent by email to: Museum@peterboroughlimited.co.uk headed FAO Heritage Manager

Peterborough Museum expects borrowers to cover all direct costs connected with the loan.

We always appreciate offers from the public to donate items to our collections, however donations can only be taken by appointment.

If you wish to donate to the museum please contact our team on 01733 864 663 or email Museum@peterboroughlimited.co.uk, giving details of your donation, please provide as much information as possible and if possible provide photographic imagery of the object or objects. This information will be passed to our Collections team who will contact you directly.

Please be aware for donations to be accepted they must meet our current collecting policy, and be authorised by our Acquisitions Board. Donations cannot be accepted by the Museum without prior authorisation.

Please do not bring objects to the Museum without a prior appointment with our collections team.

Our collections staff are always happy to give advice on the care of collections, from the preparation and conservation of fossils, to the care and storage of costume.

To use this service please contact our team via email museum@peterboroughlimited.co.uk and make your email for the attention of the collections team.