Bath Medical Museum will take the same care and precautions for the protection of the item(s) deposited or loaned, whilst they are in its custody, as it does for those in its permanent collections. Except in the case of negligence on the part of itself, its officers or employees, Bath Medical Museum’s governing body does not accept liability for loss of, or damage to, or deterioration in, the item(s) deposited or loaned. No valuation indicated verbally or in writing at the time of deposit will be admitted by the museum.

When item(s) are left at the museum for whatever reason, an Object Entry Form, provided by the museum, must be completed and a copy will be given to the depositor as a receipt. This must be presented when the item(s) are returned to the owner or their representative. Both it and the original form will then be signed by the person receiving the items to acknowledge their receipt in a satisfactory condition. The owner (or the owner’s representative) and the museum will retain their respective forms.

Neither Bath Medical Museum’s governing body, nor its officers or employees, can accept any responsibility for an opinion that may be expressed on items submitted for examination. Opinions may be given only to the owner of an item or to the representative of the owner.

Bath Medical Museum Curatorial and/or Collections staff are not authorised to give valuations, to assist in the disposal of private property, or to express opinions regarding the merits of business firms.

It is the depositor’s responsibility to collect item(s) deposited and left for identification within 4 weeks of the date of deposit. In the event of the item(s) not being collected within that period, the museum’s governing body reserves the right to dispose of the item(s) as it thinks fit after a period of 3 months from the date of deposit.

Bath Medical Museum has an Acquisition and Disposal Policy which limits those items which it may acquire. Not all offers of loans, donations or sales can be taken up. If Bath Medical Museum’s governing body does not accept such an offer, the owner will be advised in writing. In the event of items not being collected within 4 months of the date of deposit, the Bath Medical Museum’s governing body reserves the right to dispose of the item(s) as it thinks fit.

In the case of acquisition by Bath Medical Museum’s governing body of the item(s) deposited by gift or sale, the owner (or a person authorised to act on behalf of the owner) transfers to the museum’s governing body absolute ownership of those items, together with any rights of copyright or reproduction held by the owner in respect of those items, without condition other than that the governing body will hold the items on trust for use by Bath Medical Museum for educational purposes to the public benefit, and in accordance with those provisions of the Museum & Galleries Commission’s Museum Registration scheme in force at the time of the gift.

The Object Entry Form, provided by the museum, acts as a first receipt for material offered for loan; if accepted, loan items will be subject to a separate loan agreement, to which additional conditions (including a specific return date, and agreed valuation for insurance purposes) will apply. Loans are never accepted for an indefinite period, but may be renewed.

If special conditions, additional to the above, are agreed between Bath Medical Museum and the owner/depositor, these should be recorded on a separate sheet, to which the owner/depositor and an authorised museum representative must both be signatories, and copies attached to the Object Entry Form.