Wornall/Majors welcomes donations of artifacts and antiques! We rely on the generosity of the community to help bring history to life to the Kansas City area. If you wish to donate an artifact, please see the criteria below to see if Wornall/Majors is a good fit for your item.
Additions to the collections of the John Wornall House Museum and the Alexander Majors House Museums need to match one or more of the following:
- The artifact is from the period of interpretation—1850-1890;
- The artifact can provide meaningful historic context when on display;
- The artifact does not duplicate items already in the collections;
- The Museum can properly store and care for the artifact.
Items We Particularly Welcome
- Items or documents belonging to the John Wornall, Alexander Majors, Samuel Poteet, William Waddell, or William Russell families prior to 1900;
- Items relating to the Civil War, slavery, the Battle of Westport, the Pony Express, or westward expansion;
- Items with a vivid and well-documented family story, especially for families from Missouri, Kansas, or Kentucky in the mid-nineteenth century.
Items We Are Unlikely to Accept
- Items in need of extensive repair or conservation work, unless they are specifically related to the Wornall or Majors families;
- Extremely large furniture items, especially common pieces such as pianos;
- Items dating from 1900 to present.
How it Works
If you have an item you would like to donate, call 816-444-1858 or email curator@wornallmajors.org. Please be prepared with basic information about your object, including: item’s history (how it came to be owned by you, any relevant family information), approximate age of object if known, basic dimensions, and at least one clear photograph.
All donation offers will be carefully considered by the Curator and relevant staff and volunteers. Most decisions are made within 2 weeks of a donation offer, unless extensive research is needed. Please note that we are unable to appraise or value your item. If your donation is accepted, you must obtain your own appraisal for tax purposes.
