[cctalk] Re: Seattle’s Living Computers Museum logs off for good as Paul Allen estate will auction vintage items

[Paul Koning via cctalk]

> On Jun 25, 2024, at 2:27 PM, brad via cctalk <cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:
> 
> I'm curious what happens to items that were donated on the understanding that 
> the museum would be a safe long term place for them?Pretty sad they couldn't 
> make it work.

There's a lot to be said for hard rules in signed contracts, though even with 
those you aren't necessarily safe.  (There are court precedents, in the USA at 
least, where museums went against the explicit written terms of donations and 
the courts somehow came up with an excuse for approving that.)

Personally, I would be very hesistant to *give* anything to a museum; the safe 
route is a loan, with well crafted written terms.  That way you're not giving 
up ownership, and the main risk then becomes damage from inadequate care.  (And 
yes, that too can happen.)

        paul